


X-Men: The Rise of Apocalypse

by RogersBz14



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) - Fandom, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: ....the end?, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Apocalypse, Experimentation, Father-Son Relationship, Flashbacks, Gen, Hurt Erik Lehnsherr, Hurt Peter Maximoff, Hurt/Comfort, Past Torture, Rescue Missions, Teamwork, Weapon X Project, Whump, X-Men Cameos, a lot of others get hurt, but mostly those two, considering that the film hasn't come out yet, dadneto, kinda whumpish, running out of tag ideas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-12
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-04-26 03:03:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4987627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogersBz14/pseuds/RogersBz14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten years after the sentinel program shut down, mutants and humans alike have recovered from the charade and moved on with their lives. However, a dark and omnipotent threat looms over all species, threatening to destroy the peace and lives of those all around the world.</p><p>Meanwhile, Charles and Erik, who have yet to re-unite after The White House attack, are living their own lives. While one is running a school filled with young mutants like himself, the other is living a more quite, simple life with a family he truly loves. However, as the darkness approaches them, their pasts catch up to them in the most unexpected way and introduce them to a whole new world of hope, pain, and purpose.</p><p>*deleted AN! Ch. 14 is now an actual chapter!*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> For those of you who have followed me since my first X-Men story, X-Men: Apocalypse, you may be confused! All questions will be answered and all fears will be allayed :D For those of you who are just coming across my work... welcome :D 
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling Errors and possible OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

_**Crash!** _

Erik Lehnsherr, former terrorist and mutant activist, jolted awake at the unexpected sound coming from the floor below him. Without waking the woman lying next to him, he slowly got out of bed and tip-toed to the source of the sound. As he made his way down the flight of stairs, he silently felt for surrounding metal. In the past, his world was reduced to a single instinct: survive. Ten years ago, if he had heard any kind of sound that signaled endangerment to his well-being, he would’ve acted first and questioned later. But now, his world has expanded. He has a lot more to gain, and a lot more to lose. So instead of summoning all of the metal in his place and catapulting it at the possible intruder, he simply made contact with them just as a precaution. After silently making his way down the stairs, he slowly moved around the house, checking each and every corner of the place. He didn’t dare to turn on the lights. If there was, in fact, an intruder in his place, he wanted to have the benefit of catching a glimpse of their face before he beat it to a pulp. As he approached the kitchen, Erik began to pick up even more sounds. Someone was retching and gagging while attempting to muffle their moans of pain and displeasure. Broken glass clinking against each other, as well as being crushed underneath another surface, could also be heard. Without a second thought, Erik wordlessly levitated a metal baseball bat that was leaning against the corner of the living room wall, and brought it to his hands. In the dark, he hovered on the opposite side of the wall that led to the kitchen and, therefore, the intruder. Silently counting to three, Erik took a deep breath, leaped from behind the wall, and turned on the kitchen light.  
For a second, he was blinded by the sudden change of light. However, once his vision adjusted, he nearly dropped the bat out of pure shock. Across the kitchen, heavily leaning against the sink, was a young man with familiar silver hair.   
The stranger was extremely pale and covered in fresh bruises and cuts. His lip was split, his cheekbone was broken, and his right eye was purple. He wore a red, two piece outfit. But beneath the red color, Erik could see an even darker red spread itself throughout the stranger’s back and wrists. Blood. Blood and wounds aside, what truly captured Erik’s attention was the man’s dark, almost beautiful, dark eyes. His eyes heavily contrasted the silver hair. It was captivating, mysterious, and familiar. Before he could address the intruder, the man’s dark eyes flashed with recognition.  
“I know you…”  
Oh shit. Someone, probably from the U.S government, found him. After ten years of hiding (well, five years of hiding and five years of living happily in Poland), the law finally caught up with him. The survival instinct kicked in once again, a feeling he actually quite missed.  
“If you’re from the United States Government, I have no business with you. Now be on your way before I-”  
“You really don’t remember me, do you?” The stranger stumbled towards Erik, using secure surfaces to keep him upright. “Come on, I saved your ass from the Pentagon! I took down, like, seven security guards in less than five seconds and you still don’t remember me? Jesus, how much can a guy do in ten years that makes him forget his rescuer’s name?”  
“Stay back. I’m warning-”  
“I’ll help you out. Whiplaassshhhh.”

 _‘In three seconds those doors are going to open. And twenty guards will be here to shoot us.’_  
_‘I know. That’s what I’m waiting for.’_  
_A hand was pressed against the back of his head. ‘What are you doing?’_  
_‘I’m holding your neck so you don’t get whiplash.’_  
_‘What?’_  
_‘Whiplaaasshhh.’_  
_Twenty guards charged in. The sensation of flying down a hallway. A sudden stop. Nausea. A conversation about Kennedy, karate, and crazy. And then-_  
_‘They told me you control metal.’_  
_‘They?’_  
_‘You know, my mom once knew a guy who could do that.’_

Erik accidentally dropped the bat out of shock, his actions earning him a weak snicker. The former metal-bender approached the younger mutant with caution. The silver-haired kid looked amused.  
“What? Mister ‘I lifted an entire stadium while nearly sealing the fate of all mutants’ is scared of me? I’m flattered.”  
“Well don’t be. What are you doing here in Poland? Last time I heard anything of you, you were living in Washington.”  
“Plans change. People change.”  
“You’re bleeding… everywhere.  Where were you before you arrived here?”  
“Doesn’t matter,” the runner quickly dismissed.  
“Actually it does. If your arrival has brought danger and trouble, then I’m going to have to ask you to leave. A child is living in this home and I refuse to compromise her safety.”  
“Listen Magnet-O, or whatever you call yourself, I didn’t come here to steal. Well… steal anything valuable that is. I came here because this was the only house within a five-mile radius I could run to before I passed out.”  
“What on Earth are you-”  
His question was cut off when the man suddenly doubled over in pain and vomited all over the wooden floor. However, much to Erik’s slight horror, blood was mixed in the bile and chunks of digested food. The older mutant watched with disgust, annoyance, and slight concern as the boy puked his guts out.  
“Erik? Co się tam dzieje?”  
Both men turned to the voice. They were greeted by a young woman with long, brown hair in her sleeping clothes. She looked like she was two or three years younger than Erik. In her arms, she was holding a little girl who looked no older than three or four. While the silver-haired kid tilted his head in confusion, Erik made his way over to the new arrivals and began a quiet conversation that only they could hear.  
“Wydaje się, że mamy gości. Nie martw się, on nie jest dla nas zagrożeniem.”  
“Jest ranny. Dlaczego on tak bardzo krwawi?”  
“Szczerze mówiąc, nie mam pojęcia. Dobry z powrotem do łóżka, kochanie. Zajmę się nim.” Erik looked at the little girl and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Dobranoc, mój mały. Zobaczymy się jutro. Dobranoc.”  
“Ten człowiek jest ranny,” the little girl said sheepishly. “Trzeba mu pomóc, papa.”  
“Okay, the only word I understood was ‘papa’,” the man called from the kitchen. “Whatever you guys are talking about, I want in. Mags over there can be my translator, okay?” He saw the trio’s looks of confusion and slight horror, so he started again. “Look, I’m sorry if I barged into your home, accidentally broke your window, inhaled some of yo- well, let’s just say I’m sorry about tonight all together. But trust me when I say that I’m no threat!” He squeezed his eyes shut when he felt another wave of pain surge through his stomach and back. “Erik knows me, right man? We met ten years ago when-”  
“Enough! You will leave this place at once.”  
Swallowing blood and vomit, the stranger moved to stand up and make his way out of the door, apology in hand. However, he was hit by a violent burst of pain and collapsed on the floor all together. The stranger handed over the child and ran over to the fallen man.  
“Aleksandra, proszę pobyt tutaj!”  
“Jest ranny, Erik. Musimy dbać o niego. Przynajmniej dopóki on uzdrowiony. Wtedy możemy wysłać go na swojej drodze. Proszę kochanie.”  
Erik looked extremely hesitant. He had a family now. He had so much to lose now. Keeping this boy with them could spell out trouble. He’s worked too hard to start a new life. He’s sacrificed too much to stabilize this new, safe life. Survival. It all came back to survival. But then again, the man curled up in a ball in their kitchen was also trying to survive. If it wasn’t for that kid ten years ago, Erik would have never had the chance to start anew. Rather than living in Poland with a beautiful wife and daughter, he would be rotting in a white prison cell with only an occasional meal acting as his partner. He knew that without this kid, he wouldn’t be here right now. He had the right to survive and live his life as well. Sighing, Erik kneeled down beside the silver-haired mutant and gently (and rather awkwardly) patted the man’s back.  
“You’ll stay down here until you’ve recovered. Then once you’re better, you're out of here. Deal?” A nod. “Okay. Now let’s get you onto the couch so we can see to your injuries.”  
“Jak masz na imię?”  
The younger mutant, who was beginning to fade, mumbled, “What did she ask?”  
“She asked what’s your name,” Erik replied as gently looped the stranger’s arm around his neck.  
“Tell her… that my name… is Peter… Django… Maximoff.”  
With that, Peter was out.

“Welcome, new students and faculty, to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters!”  
The wheelchair-bound telepath smiled as children and adults alike dispersed themselves throughout the mansion, which was now acting as a school. As Charles wheeled himself down the make-shift podium, a tall man with thick glasses smiled and patted him on his shoulder.  
“Well done, Professor. ”  
“Thank you, Hank. I hope you know that none of this would’ve been possible without your help and loyalty.” He extended his hand. “Thank you, my friend, for everything you’ve done.”  
Hank shook his hand. “No problem at all. After all, this school was always a big dream of yours. Might as well help out in anyway I can.”  
The pair began to slowly make their way down the corridor that led to Charles’ office. They joyfully watched young students interacting with each other. These kids, who have been oppressed and beaten down by a cruel and prejudice world, now had a safe haven where they could just be themselves. Even if their ideals and powers were different, their genes united them all and acted as a bridge for friendships and unlocked potential. God, Erik would’ve loved this.  
“So,” Hank began awkwardly. “Have you heard from Raven?”  
“Not since Erik’s surprise appearance at The White House ten years ago. Haven’t heard from both of them since the attack.”  
“Are you worried?”  
“About Erik? No. Raven, on the other hand, yes. She’s young, ambitious, and dangerous. She holds a grudge against anyone who rubs her off the wrong way. I wish she would just accept who she was and act as a symbol for unity between mutants and humans. She could’ve been an example of peace.”  
“Well… that’s technically what you are, Professor. Look, even if nobody around you acknowledges it, you are the symbol we need. You’ve spent your whole life seeing the best in everyone. That, alone, makes you more of a symbol than anyone in this mansion. Don’t ever exclude your own contributions.”  
“Your words are appreciated, Hank. I wonder what they’re doing right now…”  
“Eh, Erik’s probably forming that Brotherhood he’s always dreamed of. Raven’s more complicated. I guess we’ll never know what she’s been up to until she decides to show herself.”  
While they were talking, Hank accidentally bumped into a brunette with long, wavy hair and dark green eyes. “I’m sorry, Wanda.”  
“It’s not problem, Professor.”  
“You can just call me Hank,” he replied with a smile. “Uhh, what class are you heading to?”  
“History with Professor Xavier.”  
Charles slapped his forehead. “I completely forgot. Forgive me. It’s just been a hectic day. Wanda, did you want to walk to class with me?” An excited smile was his response. “Excellent. I’ll see you later, Hank.”  
“Bye Professor.”  
With that, they departed. Throughout their journey, Wanda and Charles talked about their excitement about the first day of school. They talked about their hobbies, interests, and dreams. Charles couldn’t help but smile at the amount of curiosity and hope that radiated off of the girl. Meanwhile, Wanda herself found herself being drawn by her teacher’s wisdom, empathy, and hope. She had a lot of admiration for someone with a lot of dreams and wisdom. Charles reminded her of-  
“Something is on your mind,” Charles suddenly said.  
“What? Oh it’s nothing.”  
“Come now, Wanda, you’re lying to a telepath.”  
“Wait, you’re a- wow! That’s amazing!”  
“So what is on your mind? And please forgive my intrusion. I could sense a shift in your mind. Your reminiscing… ”  
“It’s just… my brother would have loved to be here. Well, maybe not the education part, but more the social aspect. He, myself, and our little sister didn’t really know a lot of mutants. We felt a little… lonely. Nobody, not even our mother, could understand what it’s like to be a mutant. If he were here now, he would be running on the walls with joy and energy.”  
“What was your brother’s name?”  
“Peter Maximoff. He’s my twin and-” Charles suddenly stopped and stared up at Wanda in shock. “What’s the matter? Are you okay?”  
“I’m fine, darling. It’s just… I had encountered him a few years back. He’s a bright kid: a little too energetic, but fascinating none the less. What happened to him? Why isn’t he here?”  
“I haven’t seen him in five years. After government officials popped by our house, he left our home and never returned. I don’t even know if he’s alive.”  
Charles could sense Wanda’s sudden shift of emotions and gently took her hand in both of his. “Listen, in the short amount of time I’d known him, I could pick up a few things. Despite his overly curious and energetic personality, he was a smart and strong kid. I’m sure that wherever he is right now, he’s thriving.” Wanda didn’t look convinced. “When the time comes, you and I can take a trip down to Cerebro and track him down.”  
“Cerebro? What is that?”  
“It enhances my powers so that I can see and communicate with anyone anywhere in the world. Including Peter.”  
“Really?! You would do that?”  
“Of course. And although I hate to admit this, I owe your brother a lot. I promise you that once everything calms down and everyone gets into the swing of things, you and I will search for your brother.”  
Wanda bent down and hugged the brunette. “Thank you so much!! If there’s anyway I can repay you, please let me know!”  
“We’ll discuss this topic later. But right now, I think you and I have a class to meet. Are you ready?” An eager nod. “Fantastic.”

Deep beneath the Gaza Pyramids, below miles and miles of aging rock and sand, laid a miniature pyramid. However, unlike its exterior neighbors, this pyramid was all black and had a more contemporary look. It was made of metal. This pyramid was guarded by the statues of Anubis and Sobek that stood over ten feet tall. Emerging from the black pyramid was a seven-foot tall, blue and grey mutant. His eyes were a bright, venomous red. His muscular frame made The Hulk and The Thing, combined, look weak. He emerged from his home and strode over to four hooded men with pride and arrogance. The hooded men each wore different colored hoods: Red, Black, Purple, and Yellow. Their neon yellow eyes illuminated the dark cave.  
“Gentlemen, our time has come,” the larger mutant stated, his deep voice reverberating around the cave. “Forgive my absence these last decades. I’ve spent them communicating with mutants with extraordinary gifts in order to find four of them that are qualified to take your places. It is through your patience and my skills that I have identified which mutants I will recruit for my cause.”  
“Forgive my question,” the yellow-hooded man said, “but how did you choose which mutant you would use for your cause?”  
“Through a combination of elements: their powers, ideals, current state, and vulnerability all contributed to my decision. Now we have the task of recruiting these mutants.”  
“And if they say no.”  
“Then we tear them apart from the inside. With great knowledge comes pain. With pride comes fear. With hope comes reluctance. With family comes vulnerability. These mutants will say yes to my demands… I will make sure of it. Soon, gentlemen, human supremacy will fall. Mutants will become rulers of this cruel world. And we will build a newer, better society that will break the cycle of human arrogance and pride. This, my horsemen, will be the age of the Apocalypse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I suppose I should tell others what is going on :D
> 
> These past couple of months, while trying to juggle work and college, I began to think really hard about my first Apocalypse story. Although it was (mostly) well-received, I feel like it didn't really reflect how I envisioned the story to be. There were some elements that made it into the first story (Erik's backstory, NYC battle, father-son bonding, etc.) but I felt like it a.) didn't really stick to the movies b.) confused a lot of people with the unnecessary background stories of a few characters and c.) didn't portray how Erik/Peter/Charles/Raven/others would react. So, I decided to give Apocalypse another go :D A lot has changed, but some of the details that were featured in my previous story will be featured again in this (look at X-Men: Apocalypse if you all want a preview as to what you may encounter along the way).  
> This story is still a Peter/Erik story!! It revolves around these two and the relationships they have with the others back at the mansion!! Just though I'd point that out there in case father-son lovers were afraid. This story will feature more Raven, Charles, and X-Men. It will also feature members of Weapon X as the story progresses!! That's one of the bigger things that has changed.
> 
> I'll continue to update "While You Were Gone"! This story, as well as the other one, are fun to write and I enjoy reading responses/feedback!!! I don't want to abandon either story because that doesn't seem fair to anyone who can actually stomach my awful l writing xD 
> 
> This story will unfold as time goes on :) It will (hopefully) drift away from the comics (save for a few minor stories) and will stay within the cinematic universe!! Also, this story is based off of previews released for the new film (which I'm excited for :D).
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of Love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments below :) I love reading them and they usually help improve my writing! Any feedback is welcome :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Because my October break is coming to an end (I have classes tomorrow), I decided to post another chapter! For those of you who are fluent in Polish, I'm sorry if you spot any errors in grammar. Blame Google Translate for the errors and me for not knowing even the slightest bit of Polish lol
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling errors and possible slight OOC-ness!!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

“Więc Erik, usłyszałem jakiś dzieciak włamał się do domu dwa dni temu.”  
“Tak, ale to nie było nic wielkiego. Chłopak został ranny całkiem źle, a moja żona nalegała na opiekę nad nim.”  
“Tak dobrze nie dostać zbyt blisko dziecka. Najlepsze przestępcy działają niewinna na początku. I wtedy, gdy najmniej się tego spodziewasz, zwracają na ciebie. Uwierz mi, wiem.”  
“Twoje opowieści zawsze trzymać jakąś mądrość, prawda Philip? Cóż, najlepiej być wyłączony. Trzymaj się, dobrze?”  
“Ty też.”  
With a false smile, Erik departed from his station and made his way out of the large warehouse. As he approached his car, he turned around and stared at the warehouse’s main sign.  
  
**Agencja Budowa Dawida**

Although the mutant relished this normal life, he always felt himself cringe whenever he read the sign he was forced to greet morning. Ten years ago, Erik pictured traveling the world and ridding societies of oppressors of his kind. He imagined an army of mutants following him, all of them driven by their refusal to conform to society's expectations. Instead, he now found himself working in a construction agency for a mutant-phobic boss who values money and success over the lives of his workers, mutant or human. This job, as safe as it was for a metal-bender like himself, went against everything he stood for. Considering that he worked in Concentration Camps, he never liked being told what to do and how to act. He always enjoyed adventures and excitement but is now working a pretty humdrum job. He always believed that mutants should never fear showing off their gifts: after all, it’s what made them better than humans. But now, with a wife and kid, he refuses to use his powers in and out of work. One wrong move and everything he’s worked so hard for could crumble… he's familiar with that feeling and refuses to re-live it. With a tired sigh, he got into his car and drove off into the evening, silently cursing at his boss as he always does.

When he arrived at his home, he grabbed the little book he bought during his lunch break, and made his way to the door. Behind that door and inside that house lived the two people who gave his boring life a purpose. Their kind nature, as well as their patience, curiosity, and overall love for everything always put a smile on his face. Like Charles, they always saw the best in everyone. His wife and little girl reminded him of-  
“Papa!”  
With a real smile, Erik bent down and lifted his daughter into his arms. “Witam, mój mały. Jak minął ci dzień?”  
“To było wspaniałe! I kolorowe i pomógł mamie w domu! Muszę porozmawiać z moim nowym przyjacielem.”  
“New friend?” he asked in English. “O czym mówisz?”  
“Człowiek, który włamał się do naszego domu jest bardzo ładny! Mówi mi żartów i pomaga mi kolor.”  
“Nie należy się wokół niego. Mógł być niebezpieczne.”  
“Ale papa-”  
“Żadnych ale. Nie chcę cię blisko niego, dobrze?” A flash of hurt made a brief appearance on the little girl’s face. “Przepraszam. Tyle tylko, że cię kocham i nie mogłem tego znieść, gdyby coś się stało lub mama. Chcę tylko, żebyś była bezpieczna. Twój curosity jest zaraźliwa i piękne. Ale to jest również wyposażony w niebezpieczeństwie. Obiecaj mi, że nie będzie się do niego, chyba że jestem w pobliżu, w porządku?”  
“Ok papa.”  
“Dziękuję. Teraz przygotuj się na kolację, dobrze?”  
He pressed a kiss to her head before placing her back onto the ground, watching her run off with her little legs. He smiled and made his way over to the kitchen. Once his eyes caught Aleksandra’s back, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.  
“Moja miłości, jak się masz?”  
“Fantastyczne. Jak było w pracy?”  
“... to samo.”  
“To dobrze, prawda?” Erik didn’t respond. “Kolacja jest już prawie gotowy. Dlaczego nie masz Piotra tutaj. Jest w łazience na piętrze.”  
Erik nodded before he reluctantly let go of his wife. He made his way up the small staircase in three strides before stopping at the door that led to the bathroom.  
“Peter, dinner’s ready,” he said while knocking on the door. “Come on, you need to eat something.”  
When he got no response, Erik turned the doorknob and opened the door. He was greeted by a shirtless Peter staring at himself in the mirror. However, what caught his eye’s attention were the number of marks that littered the man’s body. Bruises of all colors, mostly black, and all shapes spread around Peter’s back. Burn marks created by cigars, electrical wires, and chemicals covered some parts of the bare back. Some of the burns made by electrical wires began at both of his wrists and looped around both of his arms until they ended at his shoulder blade. Lines, some more straighter than others, marked the mutant’s back. Those lines, as Erik could tell, were made by surgical tools like scalpels, syringes, and razors. Gashes, new and old, also made themselves known. The metal-bender was thrust into a series of flashbacks of when he was Sebastian Shaw’s lab rat. He was thrown into memories of when his life, identity, and dignity was forcibly taken away from him. Before he could say anything, Peter’s dark eyes saw Erik staring at his back.  
“Sheesh, give a man some privacy, will you?”  
With that, Peter kicked the door shut. Erik shook the shock away from his face. He cleared his throat before making his way back downstairs, nearly trampling his daughter in the process. He led her to the dining table, tossing the book he had got onto the couch in the living room, and helped her set it up. But when his wife approached them, he gently pulled her away from the table and into the living room.  
“Widziałeś plecami chłopca?” A nod. “To dlaczego nie powiedziałaś antything?”  
“Byłaś zajęta opiekę Nina. W czasie, kiedy na górę próbuje umieścić ją spać, mam tendencję do jego rany. Ale zanim skończyłem, byłem zmęczony i Musiał zapomniał wspomnieć to, co widziałem.”  
“Rozumiem. To jest po prostu... nie chcę Nina zobaczyć te blizny. Ona będzie zadawać pytania, które potencjalnie mogłyby przestraszyć ją.”  
“Wiem i rozumiem, w której pochodzą, mojej miłości. Ale pamiętaj, że prowadzą również kilka blizn, jak również. Nina w końcu je zobaczyć i zadawać pytania. To nie zrobi jej krzywdy, jeśli jest ona narażona na własnych oznaczeń Piotra. Teraz chodź, niech zakończyć konfigurację.”  
After Aleksandra pressed a kiss to his lips and took off, Erik remained where he stood and silently mused on two things: his daughter’s curious nature and Peter’s interesting scars. However, the feeling of a gentle breeze shooting past his face broke him out of his thoughts. He looked up and saw Peter, fully dressed, appear out of nowhere to help Nina with setting up the table. As Peter made his way over to Erik, he nudged him with his elbow.  
“Don’t worry,” he quietly said, “I won’t use my powers here. House manners, am I right? By the way, do you think we can talk in English tonight? My Polish is kinda… bad. I lied: I don’t know any Polish. However, your daughter has been teaching me words like, ‘Hello, goodbye, red, p-’”  
“We can speak in English if you like, although my wife’s English isn’t exactly the best.”  
“Hey man, I don’t judge. Now let’s eat! I’m so hungry I could eat a horse. Seriously, if we’re eating a horse I’ll wolf it down in less than a minute! Watch me.”  
Erik rolled his eyes at the boy’s constant talking before making his way to the square table. After a few prayers and words that Peter didn’t understand yet went along with, they began to eat. The meal consisted of pasta, green beans, and fruit.  
“So Peter,” Aleksandra began. “Where are you from?”  
It took the mutant a second to understand what he had been asked. “I, uhh, used to live in DC with my two sisters and mother. How do you say it in Polish? My uhh-”  
“Siostry i matki?” Nina said, pasta hanging limply from her lips.  
“Tak. Dziękuję, Nina. But yeah, I lived with them in DC.”  
“What happened to them?”  
Sadness appeared in Peter’s eyes. “I don’t know… I haven’t seen them in five years.”  
“Have you tried contacting them?”  
“I couldn’t. Didn’t really have the time or freedom to do so. But hey, I’m sure they’re fine!” Peter smiled at Nina, who bashfully hid her face in the sleeve of Erik’s shirt. “On a more happier topic, I didn’t know that you two were raising an artist!” Nina sheepishly smiled. “Nina is an inventive one, I can tell you that! I mean, a purple giraffe and a yellow tiger? She’s going places, man. The best artists color outside the lines and aren't afraid of breaking a rule or two.” Peter winked at the little girl, making her blush.  
“So Pietro,” Erik interrupted, hoping to divert his daughter’s attention elsewhere. “what-”  
“Pietro? Where did that name come from, Mags?”  
Erik mentally slapped himself. “Forgive me for the slip. Peter, what kind of hobbies do you have?”  
“I’m kinda into running.” Erik nearly face-palmed. “What about you? I’m sure you’re into blacksmithing, welding, mill-wrighting, mining-”  
“I think I get the point, Pie-Peter.”  
“After all, you are a metal-bending mu-”  
“Moving on, I’m curious about those marks on your back. Where did you get them?”  
For a brief moment, Erik swore that he saw a flash of pain and horror appear in Peter’s eyes. “I’ve been in a lot of fights.” Erik didn’t look convinced. “Hey, a man's gotta make a living somehow. And being a track runner doesn’t exactly pay the bills that well. So, I’ve been taking up underground street fighting for a while.”  
“There are no underground street fights.”  
“That you know of.”  
“You two seem to be getting along very well,” Aleksandra chimed in with fascination. “It seems like you two have met before.”  
While Erik choked on his food, Peter let out a prideful smile. “Didn’t he tell you? He and I met in DC-”  
“While on a business trip,” Erik quickly covered up, much to Peter’s confusion. “I briefly encountered Peter at a meeting near the Pentagon and-”  
“You mean **in** the Pentagon,” Peter said.  
“No I don’t. It was during a construction project. However, he and I didn’t get a chance to actually get to know each other. I didn’t recognize him last night in the dark with all of that blood on him.”  
Before the silver-haired mutant could ask what the hell was going on, soft snoring could be heard. Nina had fallen asleep at the table, her little head accidentally falling into the pasta. Erik and Peter smiled at the sight while Aleksandra moved to pick her up.  
“Looks like we bored her. Będę podwinąć ją, Erik. Chcesz powiedzieć dobranoc?”  
Erik leaned forward and pressed a kiss on the girl’s cheek. “Dobranoc, mój mały.”  
When Aleksandra left the room, Erik and Peter stared at each other in confusion and anger.  
“What the hell was that? I’m surprised you, of all people, aren’t bragging about your achievements you’ve accomplished back in America.”  
“You will not mention anything about mutation here, am I clear? I don’t want to scare Nina with my…past.”  
“Scare Nina off? Dude, she’s not that easy to scare off. She’s tough, almost like Lorn-... I mean, she comes up to stranger like me, hands over a coloring book, and begins to chat as if we’re the best of friends. She’s not afraid of strangers, so why should she be afraid of mutants like our-”  
“Shhh, keep it down!”  
Then it hit Peter. “Holy shit. You’re not afraid of scaring an innocent little girl… you’re afraid of scaring off your family. They don’t know about mutants because you’ve never told them about us. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if you concealed your powers from them.” No response. “You’re kidding me? Mister ‘Mutant and proud,” is afraid of sharing his powers? What a fucking hypocrite.”  
“You wouldn’t understand what is at stake if I tell them about who I am. About what we are! Everything, actions or words, have consequences. Although I wouldn’t expect you to know that.”  
“What? That everything has a consequence? I think I have an idea or two,” Peter growled back.  
“Oh really? Do you?”  
“Of course I do! After all, I got torn away from my family because of who I am and your actions back in DC! Actions have consequences, am I right?”  
Peter forced himself to shut up before he became too emotional and revealed personal stuff he’s only recently recovered from. Erik, in the meantime, was taken aback by the sudden outburst. Whatever had happened to Peter’s family was because of him. Guilt began to flow through Erik. He tried to come up with a proper question or response, but the sound of crying from upstairs caught his attention. He looked over to Peter, who simply waved his hand in dismissal.  
“Go take care of her,” he said without looking from his plate. “I’d better go to bed anyway.” Erik nodded before pushing away from his seat. “I promise I won’t mention anything about mutants or your stupid stunts to Nina or your wife.”  
Erik stared at the mutant sitting sadly at the table, silently wishing that he could come up with the proper response that would not only close up this conversation for good, but also to comfort the man. So instead of saying anything, he went over to the living room, picked up the book, and tossed it onto Peter’s lap. The runner stared at the book in amusement before turning his head to face Erik’s.  
“A Polish-English dictionary? Really?”  
“Hey,” Erik shot back in a friendly tone. “You’ll need it. Trust me on that.”

Ororo Munroe walked along the streets of Alexandria, Egypt, alone and in the dark. The street markets were open, each one of them illuminated by a single lantern hanging above them, but she simply walked past them. She envied those who could buy whatever they pleased without a care in the world. She despised those who took things --people, objects, concepts to name a few -- for granted. If she had money, she would put it to good use. But she doesn’t have money. In fact, she barely has anything worth bragging about. Well, maybe her white hair has some value. So, in order to survive every night, Ororo has to steal. And that is where her mutation comes into play. She walked over to one of the booths that held a bunch of fruits and vegetables. Once her eyes found what she was looking for, she closed her eyes and began to conjure up a simple windstorm powerful enough to blow the layers and layers of sand and dust that laid patiently on the ground. When she felt like she had enough wind to get the deed done, she looked up at the stand owner and smiled.  
“I’m sorry,” she said with false politeness, “I had just remembered something important.”  
“Hey wait a second,” the man said in broken English, “this is the fifth time you’ve visited this stand today and yet you have not purchased a single product. Is there a problem?”  
“No no no. It’s just-”  
“Why is it always you who passess by without buying anything? You appearances make you come across as a troublemaker. Troublemakers do not have any business here.”  
“I’m no troublemaker. I promise.”  
“Get out, freak.”  
With a flick of the wrist, all of the dust came flying into the streets, blinding everyone in the process. While the stand owner was covering his eyes, Ororo quickly grabbed as much food as she could before she took off into the air. By the time she was standing in front of her tiny apartment, she cleared up the storm and walked into the room with a smug look on her face.  
Once she locked the door, she tossed all of the food she had collected and threw them onto the kitchen counter. She opened the fridge to pour herself some water and turned back around to face a blue and grey, muscular mutant. Instinctively, she backed away from the stranger until her back touched the sink.  
“Who the hell are you? How did you get into my place?”  
“It’s funny,” the stranger said aloud, “in the last few weeks, there have been twenty unexpected sand storms that have hit this town. Meteorologists claim that the storms are due to a sudden change in temperature. But you and I both know that’s not true, right Ororo?”  
“How do you know my name? What do you-”  
“I’m here because I want to help you.”  
“I don’t need anyone’s help. I especially don’t need your help!”  
“Oh really?” The mutant slowly walked towards one of the apples she had stolen earlier. “You steal from those you envy, from those who waste, and from those who show little to no respect for others. Every action taken is a reflection of the self, Ororo. I think I have an idea as to why you are on this, how should I put it, sleazy path. Survival.” Ororo was about to protest, but the stranger raised his hand to silence her. “I’m not here to give you some grand speech about the immoral practice of stealing. After all, there is nothing wrong with survival.” He tossed Ororo the apple. “As you can tell from my appearance, I am a mutant just like you.”  
“So what? There are thousands of mutants living among society-”  
“Who lack the strength to present their true selves to the world. These other mutants you speak of do not reflect the pain and struggles the entire mutant race has been forced to endure.”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“You lost your mother in an air raid attack a few years ago. Since then, you’ve had to endure a life without a mother. A life without guidance, hope, and love. So, in order to survive, you turned to thievery. You’ve spent recent years stealing professionally, under the guidance of lowlife thieves. In fact, I’ve actually met one of your mentors a few years back. He was a test subject for a dear friend of mine, Nathaniel Essex. I forgot his name, but all I know is that your mentor had a funny accent.”  
“Why are you telling me all of this? Why do you insist on tormenting me?”  
“Oh darling, that is not my intention at all. I’m here because you’re special. You hold a great deal of power and inner strength that has yet to be unleashed. The circumstances you are in have also played a major role in your inability to freely express who you truly are. Your past and present have stopped you from living out your future.”  
“What is my future?”  
“I see a girl with your gifts roaming around the streets freely. Survival is a concept long forgotten, for this mutant now has the world in the palm of her hands. Ororo, I’m here to give you the future you’ve always wanted. I want to help you survive in this cruel, unfair world.”  
“You said that you’re a mutant like me? What are your powers?” The other mutant raised his eyebrow. “I’ve met a lot of men and women who’ve said the exact same thing. And in the end, it’s always turned out to be plain bullshit.”  
“Unlike those people who chose to mask their true, weak identities, I will remain honest with you. My name is En Sabah Nur.”  
“The First One,” Ororo whispered to herself. “You’re the first what? Mutant? Living organism?”  
“I am the first mutant ever forged by the power of God and Nature. It is through that title that I have become… old. That said, with old age comes incomparable wisdom, success, and power. I’ve seen societies crumble and fall, every member slowly destroying themselves all because they are blinded by the concept that mankind is the most powerful species to ever exist. They’ve somehow gained the idea that they can control everyone and everything in sight. Well, look where that has led them to. The ones who have survived all of these constant falls are mutants, our kind. Ororo, I want to give you the chance to become one of those mutants who survives the cruel jokes fate throws at you. I want to give you the chance to extract justice from those who have hurt you, your mother, the innocent, and our kind. I want to give you the chance to finally live.”  
Ororo stared at the mutant, silently processing the long monologue. In all honesty, what caught her attention was neither the survival aspect nor the justice part. What really caught her attention was the fact that she would be working alongside The First One. This mutant was a myth in all of her books. However, the gods and goddesses she and others worshiped were all close with the oldest mutant alive. She, a poor thief, was in the presence of a God. Meaning, he could grant her any wish… he could resurrect her mother back from the dead.  
“I know that you have something planned,” she stated as a fact. “And, based on your motivational speech, you need my help. Before I even state what I want out of this potential deal, I need to know what you have in mind.”  
“It’s simple really. I want society to progress again. Like I had said before, the arrogance of man has continually pushed the wheel of over and over again, leaving room for no change. I want us to take control of the wheel and turn society back in the right path.”  
“But you’re a God. Why do you need my help? I’m mutant, yes, but not as powerful as you think.”  
“If you help me, I’ll enhance your gifts. Make you better than ever. Even if your desires lay somewhere else, the enhancements are my gift to you.”  
Ororo, after a minute of battling her inner thoughts, nodded her head. “I’ll help you out. But, in exchange for my loyalty, I want my mother back. That’s all. Screw survival and screw power.”  
The other mutant smiled. “I admire your devotion to your family, but I will tell you something that will make you feel even better. You see, survival and strength go hand-in-hand. They both come from family. We, living creatures of this world, adapt and evolve through the love and encouragement of our previous generation. Consider the resurrection of your mother the bridge to all of the other elements that make up a successful species. Now,” he continued as he motioned a man in a yellow hood to step from the shadows of her apartment. “All you need to do is shake his hand. And then, with some time, your mother will be by your side again.”  
Ororo closed her eyes, nodded to herself, and shook the man’s hand. She was suddenly consumed in a bright light. A wave of freshness flowed through her entire body. It didn’t feel scary or painful. It felt… magnificent. The last thing she heard was En Sabah Nur’s voice reverberating throughout her place.  
“Welcome to the army, Famine. Welcome to a better future for us all.”

_Chains. A chain around his neck. The same chain attached to the one of the walls of a large cage. The large cage that still somehow trapped him like an untamed beast. His fingers letting out trickles of blood as he shook the cage with all of his might. The sight of Lorna being forcibly placed into a chair. The sound of Lorna screaming for her big brother’s help. The barrel of a gun being pressed against her smooth forehead. The sound of the hammer clicking. The sound of a bullet firing and hitting flesh with a splat. The sound of his own screams of terror and pure rage. The sound of his suppressed sobs occasionally slipping from his clenched teeth. The feeling of warm tears slowly sliding down his face. The sight of blood slowly drifting into his cage._

Peter snapped his eyes open, his heart pounding against his aching chest. When his vision finally cleared up he found himself staring into curious and warm green eyes that belonged to Nina.  
“Halo,” he greeted with a tired smile.  
As he slowly sat up from where he laid on the couch, he noticed that a stethoscope was looped around the little girl’s neck. In her tiny hand was a plastic medical kit filled with fake medical tools. At first, Peter nearly drowned in another horrific flashback, but the sound of Nina’s little voice kept him grounded.  
“Mama i papa powiedział mi, że lekarze dbać o boos boo. Czy chcesz mi patrzeć na Ciebie?”  
Peter reached for the dictionary Erik had gotten him, and quickly flipped through the pages until he put the sentence together in English.  
“Sure,” he replied in Polish. “Why not? I haven’t had proper doctor look over me in a couple of years. Feel free to begin your examination, doctor! ”  
Nina smiled before dragging the chair she was sitting in closer to the couch. She put on the fake stethoscope and held bottom up so the chest piece was facing Peter.  
“I have to check your breathing. Turn around.”  
“Whatever you say, Doctor.”  
Once his back was turned to Nina, the little girl tucked the chest piece underneath his t-shirt, making Peter hiss in pain.  
“Are you okay?”  
“Yeah. Continue with your evaluation.”  
She began to gently slide the chest piece around Peter’s back. Every Time the piece hit or jostled one of Peter’s injuries, he would let out a hiss or a groan. But then, as time went on, Peter began to realize that the stethoscope was resting in one place.  
“Is something the matter?”  
“Where did all of these boo-boos come from?”  
“Well, when you’re a fighter like me, you tend to get boo-boos.” He looked over his shoulder and saw Nina’s slightly horrified look. “Hey hey hey, come here.” He sat cross-legged on the couch and let Nina sit in the gap his legs made. “What’s the matter? They don’t hurt that bad. Occasionally they sting, but it’s nothing too serious.”  
“Why do people hurt other people?”  
That was a good question. A question that had always lingered in Peter’s mind since Erik’s DC attack. It was a question that he hasn’t found an answer to.  
“Honestly, I have no idea,” he whispered. “Sometimes people hurt each other just to prove how tough they are. Other times it could be either a mistake or an accident. And sometimes… well, people hurt other people because they love them.”  
“How does that work?"  
“There are certain situations that may force someone to, I don’t know, leave someone they care about. They leave them because they want to protect them from harm. Sometimes we hurt other people who threaten those we love.” Peter looked down so that his eyes would meet Nina’s. “Nobody is going to hurt you. Your mom and dad won’t let anyone hurt you.”  
“Okay. But promise me one thing.”  
“Uhh, sure. What do you want?”  
“Promise me that you won’t hurt others and that you won’t let others hurt you.”  
Peter smiled before pulling Nina into a hug. “I can’t guarantee that I’ll keep the second one. However, I am one-hundred percent sure that I can keep the first one. I won’t let anything happen to you Lo-Nina.”  
The sound of the front door unlocking caught both of their attentions. When it finally opened, an exhausted Erik came walking into the room. Erik’s eyes found the scene on the couch and he instantly straightened up. He stared at Peter, silently asking what the hell was going on. But before any of the men could reply, Nina jumped from Peter’s lap and ran to hug her father. Peter was struck by how quickly the exhaustion morphed into warmth and energy. He lifted Nina into his arms and greeted her with a kiss on the head.  
“Hey Erik,” Peter called out from where he sat, “I had no idea you were raising an artist and a doctor! I’m telling you, Nina has a lot of talent. Must’ve gotten it from you.”  
Erik couldn’t stop the smile forming on his lips. He looked at Peter and nodded his head in approval. “She is something, I will tell you that.” He turned his attention back to Nina. “I have to go into town for a while with Peter,” he gently said in Polish. “Mama is going to look after you until we get back, okay?”  
Nina nodded her head ran upstairs where her mother was located. With the two men alone, Erik watched as Peter quickly picked up all of the toys her daughter had left, placing them back into the medical bag. And then, the runner appeared right in front of Erik in less than a second.  
“I heard my name being said. So what evil scheme do you need my assistance for? Are we going to lift up the entire town? Are we going to break into some government building and free some kind of terrorist trapped one-hundred and thirty feet down below? Are-”  
“We’re just running down to a hardware store and picking up supplies that I need for work tomorrow.”  
“Oh. That sounds… fun.”  
“Tell me about it,” Erik replied with zero excitement. “Well come on then. Maybe after this, we can grab a beer.”  
“Now that’s more like it, Ward Beaver.”  
When they got into Erik’s car, the metal-bender started the engine and began to back out of the driveway. “You are not to use your powers in town, am I understood?”  
“Yeah yeah yeah, I know. Buuut, what if someone tries to mug? What if someone recognizes you? I mean, you are a wanted terrorist in America. How you managed to erase your identity for so long amazes me. But there are people out there who haven’t forgotten what you did back in DC. I know I certainly haven’t.”  
“Pietro-”  
“Peter.”  
“If anything like that were to happen, you will let me handle the situation. Understood?”  
“What are you going to do? Talk to them until they lay down their weapons? You really think people hunting a terrorist are going to be swayed by said terrorist’s words?”  
“Just do as I say. Please?”  
Although he hated to admit this, Peter could see where Erik was coming from. There are, or were, some people whose lives he refused to endanger. Pride isn’t worth compromising the lives of the ones you love. Sighing, Peter nodded.  
“Okay. I won’t use my powers in the town. Even when we're surrounded by an entire mob of men holding glass pistols, knives, or razors, I won’t intervene.”

Peter turned on the radio, not really paying attention to what was playing. He began to talk to himself in order to not only get his thoughts straightened out, but also to calm his slightly jumpy nerves.  
“A former terrorist and a silver-haired runaway covered in scars walk, unprotected, into a small town.”  
“Did you say runaway?”  
“What could possibly go wrong?”  
Before Erik could question that statement further, Peter simply turned up the volume.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unless it is a major time jump, I'm not going to post specific dates like I have been doing in previous stories. It becomes a hassle to keep track of them. However, like I said, I will label major times jumps!! Also, the italics are either thoughts, dreams, or flashbacks :) Just FYI.
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of love?? Please feel free to write them in the comments below! :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> I found some time to write another chapter!! Over the weekend, I'll be VERY busy writing three papers so I probably won't have enough time to write at all. But hey, that may be good for people who are tired of seeing my awful stories :D
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling errors and possible slight OOC-ness!!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

When the pair arrived at the hardware store, Peter couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder every three seconds. There was barely a second when he kept his eyes in front of him.  
“If you keep looking around like that, your head’s going to fall off. Not to mention that you are drawing attention rather than minimizing it.”  
By the time Peter had processed those words, he had nearly walked right into the glass door leading to the store. However, Erik’s quick hand stopped the mutant and pulled him backwards.  
“Are you alright? You’ve been very edgy lately and-”  
“I’m fine, Erik” Peter replied while glancing one last time around his shoulder. “Let’s get this over with so we can finally have that beer you promised.”  
As soon as they entered the surprisingly large store, Peter instantly took off in another direction in order to explore, much to Erik’s annoyance and slight dismay. The silver-haired mutant scanned aisle after aisle without showing any real interest in the items being sold. He was about to exit the aisle holding gardening tools when he accidentally bumped into a man wearing a brown trench coat, a pigment-magenta long-sleeve collared shirt underneath a black vest, and a black beanie.  
“Pardon me, monsieur,” the man apologized. “Didn’t see you ‘round the corner.”  
“No problem. Groovy accent by the way! You’re not from around here, are you?”  
“Ain’t you a bright one. I’m from New Orleans, Louisiana.”  
“What are you doing all the way here?”  
“Could ask the same question to an American like yourself.” The stranger narrowed his eyes. “You look familiar.”  
Peter’s heart skipped a beat. “I’ve never been to Louisiana in my entire life. Plus, this is my first time in Poland and I don’t plan on staying here for long.”  
“What’s your name, monsieur?”  
“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”  
“A dealer, huh? I can respect that. Name’s Gambit. And yourself?”  
“It’s… Django Dalca.”  
“Romanian: I like it.” Remy began to circle the mutant. “I know I’ve seen you ‘fore. But where… Oh that’s right! Peter Django Maximoff. Subject Fifty-Four and potential weapon for Stryker’s army. ‘Scaped the laboratory six days earlier and-”  
At that moment, Peter wanted to throw up, faint, or scream. He wanted to run back into the car parked outside and drive away. He didn’t care about Erik right now. He needed to get out of here. He didn’t realize that his breathing had hitched dramatically.  
“Easy kid, I ain’t gonna turn you in. I know what they do to people like you… like us.” Remy blinked his eyes, changing his originally brown irises to magenta. “Listen, I ain’t gonna ask how you managed to 'scape that hell-hole. That crap don’t matter ‘nymore.”  
“What do you want from me?!” Peter accidentally shouted.  
“I want to make those men in labcoats pay for what they do to our kind. I’ve been followin’ 'em for quite some time now and ‘ave created a plan that will put an end to those digustin’ humans once and for all.”  
“I gotta go!”  
“I’m your friend, monsieur. I wanna ‘elp you.”  
“You can help me by getting lost!”  
“Pietro, are you okay?” The two mutants turned around and saw Erik standing a few feet behind them. “I purchased everything and need some help putting them in the car. Would you be-”  
“Yeah yeah yeah, let’s do it.”  
Peter speed-walked past Erik and Remy without sparing them a single glance. While Erik stared at Peter with concern, Remy simply shrugged his shoulders before picking up some black leather gloves hanging from the shelf. Erik turned to the other man and walked over to him.  
“Did I miss something important?”  
“That ain’t my story to tell. Ask the kid ‘bout Weapon X. Maybe then you’ll find some answers.”  
With that, Remy took off in the other direction, leaving a confused and concerned Erik behind. When Erik approached the counter, he saw that everything had been removed and was missing.  
“The silver-haired kid put them all into your car,” the counterman said in Polish. “Boy, he’s a fast worker.”  
Erik nodded in appreciation, walked up to his car, and saw Peter struggling to breath. His eyes were closed tight and he was muttering in what Erik assumed was Romanian. He walked over to the mutant’s side.  
“Esti bine?”  
“Vorbești română?”  
“Da. Acum, ce sa întâmplat, Pietro?”  
“It’s Peter!” he angrily shouted. “Imi pare rau. E doar... Am nevoie de ceva de băut este tot.”  
When both of them were situated in the car and began to drive away, Erik noticed just how badly Peter’s hands were shaking. Coming from personal experience, he knew that they weren’t shaking out of anger. They were shaking out of pure fear.

“Alright class, thank you for your time. Remember to read chapters three and four on Gregor Mendel. Have a nice evening!”  
While the young students ran out of the classroom, Hank began to pack up his things so he could head over to his laboratory in order to continue his work on The Blackbird. The arrival of Charles, however, halted his actions.  
“Good evening, Professor. Is something the matter?”  
“Not at all, I just wanted to stop by and see how you were holding up.”  
“Thank you, Professor, but I’m fine. I mean, I’ve never taught anyone about anything before, but I think I’m managing well.”  
“Fantastic. Do you mind if I quickly turn on the TV. The one in my office isn’t working at the moment.”  
“Of course.”  
When Hank and Charles were situated in front of the portable TV resting in the corner of the room, the genius turned it on. They both froze when they saw the headline.  
“Oh my God,” Charles muttered.

“Since when did you speak Romanian?” Erik asked as he handed Peter his fourth beer.  
The bar they were sitting in was basically empty, save for the bartender and one guy playing pool by himself. It wasn’t the largest but it was pretty damn beautiful. The TV hanging from the corner of the ceiling was quietly playing reruns of Dallas. While Erik was nursing his first beer, Peter had just finished his third beer and was about to inhale his fourth.  
“Since I was a baby. My mom tried to get us all into speaking it, but I’m the only one who retained all of that stuff. Never really had any reason to use it though. So how long have you spoken Romanian? And doesn’t that make it the third language you excel at?”  
“I’ve spoken it for a bit. I know simple words and sentences that would help me get by, but not enough to confidently write and perform an entire speech. So I guess I wouldn’t consider Romanian a language I excel at.”  
“Do you speak anything else besides Polish and English?”  
“German, Hebrew, Spanish, and French.”  
“Fuck me,” Peter muttered while taking a sip. “I’m surprised your brain hasn’t exploded! That’s a lot of shit to take in.”  
“If you’ve traveled the world like I have, you do need to equip yourself with a basic understanding of their culture, language included. And, to be fair, I grew up speaking German and Hebrew.”  
“Impressive.” A swing. “So, why’d you give up on that whole mutant mission? No offense, but if it weren’t for your wife and kid, I’m pretty sure you’d kill yourself. Why’d you trade that maroon cape and excessive body armor for flannel shirts and jeans? You can tell me. I won’t squeal. Come on, tell me.”  
Erik rolled his eyes. “You have to let me speak in order to get the answer. After the Sentinel Program shut down, I needed some time to reflect on my ideals. I traveled to Poland in order to create a new identity so I could muse in peace. But then I met Aleksandra and things just started to align. I haven’t felt this way about someone for a very long time.” Erik stared off into distance. “I feel like things are finally… good. The family I have makes this dull life worth living. I feel happy, a feeling I haven’t experienced in quite some time.”  
“I know that feeling,” Peter muttered to himself. “I have a question for you, Erik, and don’t bullshit me.”  
“Okay. What’s on your mind?”  
“Do you ever have any regrets? I mean, now that you’ve had time to reflect, do you ever look back and feel remorse?”  
Erik mused for a second before replying, “No. Although there are days when I look back at my previous actions and cringe, in the end, I don’t dwell on past actions. Besides, what good are you to yourself and society if you keep looking back at an irreversible past?.”  
“But still… you don’t regret anything? You’ve never had a moment when you wanted to turn back the clock? You’ve-”  
“Pietro-”  
“Peter.”  
“-is there something you’re not telling me? Based on these last couple of days, I can tell that something’s been occupying your mind. And when that man in the store came up to you, it seemed to have triggered something inside you. Your questions wouldn’t happen to relate to the speech I had made at The White House?”  
“Like you said, actions have consequences. It seems to me that up until this point in your life, you were a man who acted on impulse without even considering the repercussions. You didn’t give a shit about anyone’s well-being except yours whenever you pulled off some exotic stunt.”  
“What are you talking about Peter?”  
“It’s just… I don’t think you've realized how much damage you created after the DC incident.”  
While Peter stared at his beer, Erik eyed the mutant with concern. Following the slip Peter made at the dinner table a few nights ago, Erik has since grown suspicious about not only Peter’s sudden arrival, but also his physical and mental state. The words just spoken had confirmed Erik’s theory: whatever happened to Peter was his fault. Right now, he needed to get to the bottom of this.  
“Are the scars on your back the result of my actions?”  
“I told you that I’m a fighter. ”  
Erik gently grabbed one of Peter’s hands and placed it in both of his own, making sure that his knuckles were facing them.  
“I’m no expert when it comes to the world of underground fighting, but I do believe that your knuckles should be covered in lacerations and bruises after five years of fighting. The condition your knuckles are currently in don’t fully represent the fighting world.”  
Peter snatched his hand back. “Well when you’re fast as me, you still fight without getting a scratch on you. Have you seen me throw a punch? I can hit a punching bag over thirty times in one second.”  
“That doesn’t matter. No matter how fast you are, there should still be some kind of indication that you actually fought back. So tell me, where did those marks on your back come from?”  
Peter closed his eyes, the memories of being treated like a lab rat flashing right in front of his eyes. During this time, he must’ve clenched his beer too hard because in a few seconds, the glass shattered into pieces, the liquid covering his hands and the counter. Erik grabbed a napkin and dried off the wooden surface while Peter hastily wiped his hands.  
“So I guess those scars came from someone else? Weapon X perhaps.”  
“Just drop the topic, alright?!”  
“Pietro-”  
“One: it’s Peter! Two: why the hell do you care about what happened to me?!”  
“Because you’re my s-”   
As Erik bit his tongue to prevent himself from spilling the beans, he took a note on Peter’s facial expression. For some reason, the mutant didn’t look confused at the sudden cover up. In fact, he looked like he was encouraging Erik to say that last word. Almost as if he knew what it was yet he wanted to hear it for himself. Erik wanted to give into Peter’s silent wishes, but he couldn’t. Not yet anyways.  
“I know that if weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”  
“Right back at you.”  
“I’m concerned about your wounds because they seem to have come from experimentation, a topic I am all too familiar with.”  
“Erik… you wouldn’t understand.”  
“Try me.”  
The television volume went up dramatically. When Erik and Peter turned to see why, they both read the main headline that was written in Polish. Peter took out the pocket dictionary and tried to translate what was written and said. Thankfully, Erik helped him out.  
“A massacre took place in Egypt. Over two thousand people are dead and seven thousand injured. Nobody knows who was responsible for all of that destruction.”  
“Jesus. There’s no way humans carried out an attack like that. Then again, humans are notorious assholes. Look, it’s getting late. We should probably head back to your place before it gets dark.”  
Erik stared at the TV for a few more seconds before joining Peter in walking back to the car. As they drove off into the night, the metal-bender glanced at Peter, whose gaze never strayed from the side-view mirror.  
“Peter,” he began, “I don’t know what happened to you or why. But I just want to tell you that I’m terribly sorry if they were the result of my actions ten years ago.”  
Peter shrugged his shoulders. “What’s done is done, right?”  
Thankfully it was nearly pitch black while they were on the road. Otherwise Erik would’ve been able to see Peter hastily wiping away some tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remy will appear again!!! When? You'll just have to wait and see/read ;)  
> I promise that things will pick up soon :) I just want to take as much time needed to establish the relationship Peter & Erik have. I feel like I made Peter forgive Erik's actions way too quickly in my previous film. And knowing where this story will lead up to, there's no way in hell Peter would forgive Erik just like that.
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> I finished one paper and I decided to reward myself by writing/posting another chapter :D
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling errors and possible slight OOC-ness!!! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

Elizabeth Braddock carelessly swung her katana around. Although her mind was somewhere else, the grace and majesty of her movements was almost fictitious. The gym she was in was completely empty, giving her unlimited opportunities she had yet to take. She could exercise her gymnastic skills on the balance beams, or she could use the fake, wooden dummy to practice controlling her telekinesis. And considering that she was in an abandoned gym in London, she didn’t have to worry about damaging any property or items. Deciding what she would do, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, mentally preparing her body and mind for the task. And then, within a second, she performed a magnificent backflip onto the balance beam. As soon as her feet landed on the thin platform, she extended her palm towards one of the dummies and watched it go flying against the wall. Before she could have time to congratulate herself, she swung her katana in various directions. If someone were to pass by, they would’ve thought that a girl with purple hair swinging a sword at nobody was to be labeled as insane. However, in Betsy’s mind, she was fighting opponents. She was challenging those who refused to see the potential within her. She was combating against the men and women who never saw the strengths others possessed except their own. She was destroying these inner demons she has been forced to suppress for so long. After a few more jabs and swing, she jumped off the beam, rolled on the ground, and threw a small dagger right at another dummy. She then mounted the punching bag resting beside her, sheathed another knife, and continually stabbed the bag until all of the contents leaked from it. Using her powers, she flung a couple of gym items directly at the third and finally dummy. And then, with a clench of her fist, everything levitated in the air. She stared at each and every object with pure amusement and pride. There was some beauty that only she could see in these floating objects. After spending a few more seconds, she let the objects drop onto the ground in a cluttered mess. She took a few moments to catch her breath and reflect on her skills.  
“Impressive,” a voice echoed through the facility. “I’ve never seen anyone possess a range of powers like yours.”  
Betsy lifted her sword into a defensive position. “Who said that? Show yourself!”  
Then, from the depths of the darkness, emerged En Sabah Nur and a young girl with white hair that was in the form of a mohawk. She wore a silver cape, black chest armor made of kevlar, and black combat boots.  
“Who are you two?”  
“We are just like you: mutants who are tired of being forced to suppress our true identities and abilities. Before you become defensive, I will warn you that defensiveness is a reflection of the self. Every action, thought, or word directed towards our neighbors reflects our inner fears, or, in your case, desires.”  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”  
“Why are you here, Ms. Braddock?”  
“How did you know my name?!”  
“I am The First One. My knowledge of each living form --mutant and human -- goes farther than you could ever imagine. So answer my question, why are you here? Why do you desire to practice your skills in an abandoned gymnasium?”  
“You know what my powers are, right? So you must be aware of the damage it can cause. I don’t want to hurt anyone when exercising my abilities… You don’t believe me, do you?”  
“You have strengths that put you ahead of many. And because of that, men and women neither acknowledge nor praise you. Instead of embracing the opportunity to work alongside some like yourself, they push you away. Part of it is due to fear, while the other part is due to envy and arrogance. Humans love to believe that there is no species more powerful than themselves. If they sense that another being is greater than them, they seek to hide them, in an abandoned gym for example, in hopes that their presence will eventually fade from society. They seek to destroy those who are better than them. Take your father for example. No matter how hard you try, your father can never seem to acknowledge or appreciate what your gifts can offer. His love for you will never prevail over his love for normality. He’s so blinded by man’s desire for thrive that he can’t even see the strength his own daughter has.”  
“... So why are you here?”  
“I’m here because I need your help with a project that will benefit the mutant race. Like yourself, many mutants are forced to hide their true potential and abilities in order to please the regulations in favor of humans. I, along with my lovely assistant here, want to expose the weakness and arrogance of mankind in order to let mutants walk among the majority without the fear of maltreatment lingering over their shoulders.” Nur kneeled down so that he was eye-level with Betsy. “You have amazing potential. But because you’ve been forced to hide it, you have yet to actually see just how far your abilities expand. I can not only unlock all of your abilities, but also help you prove to others just how big of a future they will have with your help.”  
“What kind of powers can you unlock?”  
“Storm, why don’t you show our friend the gifts I have given you.”  
The white-haired mutant stepped forward, her hand clenched. Once she jerked it open, lightning enveloped her fingertips. Her eyes were glowing yellow as the process continued. And then, she shot the electricity at one of the dummies, watching it burst into flames within a matter of seconds.  
“Her powers originally included flight, wind manipulation, and skills revolving around thievery and combat. The last two, however, were gained with some help from The Thieves Guild. After agreeing to help carry my mission, I enhanced her powers so that she can now control weather and different forms of electric charge. You have skills you’ve yet to unlock. With my help, I can give you more powers and a name for yourself. I can help you prove yourself to the world… and to your father.”  
Betsy stared at her katana, silently debating on accepting the mutant’s offer. Although his motives weren’t exactly clear, she was won over by the concept of proving to others her use and place in this world. She could become the symbol of acceptance towards the mutant race. Her father could finally accept her, instead of denying her abilities. As she silently thought over her options, a man wearing a purple hood slowly made his way over to her.  
“Fine. I’ll help you out… for the mutant race. Now tell me what I have to do.”

After splashing cold water onto his face, Peter looked up to stare at himself in the mirror. This was the third time in the last eight days that he was awoken by a nightmare and, to be honest, it was pissing him off. Before he could reflect on what he had dreamt of this time, the sound of muffled sobs from next door could be heard. Peter walked out of the bathroom and slowly walked towards the source of the sound. Once he realized that the crying was coming from Nina’s room, he became slightly hesitant to check up on her. On the one hand, Erik would probably kill him if he was caught in Nina’s room. But then again, the poor kid was distressed and it killed Peter to hear someone that innocent and pure crying. So he tried something else.  
“Hey,” he whispered in Polish, “are you okay?”  
He was taken by surprise when the little girl’s door burst open with Nina herself running out of her bed towards Peter. She wrapped her small arms around his legs and buried her face in his thighs. Without thinking, Peter picked her up and began to sway from side to side, creating a rocking-like motion. He slowly made his way over to her bed and sat down on the floor with his back pressed against the mattress.  
“What’s the matter, Nina?” he asked in Polish.  
“I had a bad dream!” As the girl said this, she buried her face in Peter’s chest.  
“It’s okay,” he whispered back while gently stroking her hair. “It’s okay. It was just a dream. You’re safe. Shh, you’re alright now.”  
He didn’t know how long he had been holding her, but eventually she pulled away from him and stared at him with watery eyes.  
“Did you want to talk about what you dreamt about?”  
“I had a dream that someone hurt papa, and I couldn’t stop them. I don’t like seeing him hurt.”  
Peter stared at the little girl in his lap with slight disbelief. If only she knew just how easy it was for Erik to hurt others. Nina’s innocence and love for almost everyone she encountered touched Peter’s heart, but also broke it. Because his nightmare revolved around Lorna, the runner’s mind began to automatically compare Nina with his own little sister. Both of them were innocent beings who only saw excitement in those they encountered. Their desire for knowledge and happiness was contagious. Their moments of sadness affected everyone around them. They both were symbols of innocence, purity, and hope. Seeing all the similarities Nina had in comparison to Lorna almost brought him to tears. Peter pulled Nina into a gently hug.  
“Your papa isn’t going to get hurt,” he whispered in Polish. “I won’t let him.”  
To be perfectly honest, he wasn’t defending Erik because he actually cared about him. After all, how could he find the desire to defend the man who basically took everything away from him? The reason he was making this promise was because of Nina. She loved Erik dearly and she didn’t deserve to watch her own father suffer.  
“I don’t want you to get hurt either.”  
“I won’t get hurt. Like I said before, I’m a fighter and a runner. No matter how hard the punch is, I always get back on my feet. Don’t worry about me or Erik, okay? We’re both strong and smart… well, one of us is smart. We’ve got each other’s backs. Trust me.”  
Nina nodded while wiping away remaining tears. “Why are you up so late? Did you have a nightmare too?”  
“How’d you know?”  
“Your eyes are red like mine. Were you crying?”  
“... Yeah I was.”  
“Why?”  
Peter sighed while slowly making his way onto Nina’s bed. “Well…  my dream was actually like yours. I dreamt that someone hurt my family. They hurt my family and I couldn’t do anything to stop them…”  
“Do you ever miss them? You’re so far away from them, so you must get lonely.”  
“I miss them everyday, kiddo. They’re my family and I love them a lot.”  
“Are we your family?”  
That question got Peter. He had to pause for a few minutes and think about what he actually felt. In the end, he came up with-  
“In some ways, yeah. You remind me of my little sister, your mom reminds me of my twin, and Erik… well, I admire your papa’s love for both of you. All of you guys took care of me when I was hurt and have been very kind to me these last few days. So I guess in some ways you are like a family to me.”  
Nina smiled at the older man before hugging him. After a few moments, she pulled away and yawned.  
“You should go back to sleep.”  
“I don’t want to have another nightmare.”  
“How about this: I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep. Is that okay?”  
Nina nodded before lying back down onto the bed. She lifted to covers so that Peter could slide in right beside her. The mutant got underneath, situated himself behind her, and wrapped his arm protectively around her small frame. He felt a smile come up as he felt Nina snuggling her face against his chest. Once he was sure that she was comfortable, he began to hum a lullaby. It was a simple, Romanian lullaby that he had picked up from someone years and years ago. However, what bothered him to this day was the fact that he had no idea who originally hummed it to him first. He knew for a fact that his mother never hummed it, even if she was trying to integrate Romanian culture into their daily lives. The ones she sang sounded like chants or prayers, their loud lyrics never putting him or Wanda to sleep. When Lorna was born, Peter jumped into the lullaby gig and hummed a more softer tune that always got the job done. His lullaby came from someone along time ago… he just could never figure out where. As he was finishing, he noticed Erik peaking through the barely open doorway, prompting Peter to unconsciously pull Nina closer to him. The look on Erik’s face was one of nostalgia and pain. But once the two men made eye contact, his expression instantly lightened.  
“Thank you,” Erik whispered. “If you want, I can take over so you can get some rest.”  
“I think I’m good, but thanks anyhow. We’ll be fine, Mags. Go back to sleep.”  
Peter brought his attention back to the now sleeping child and continued his cooing, completely unaware that Erik had not only left the scene, but had also heard the entire conversation between him and Nina from the other side of the door.

The next morning, Erik requested Peter’s presence at his job. Today, the agency was a little short on workers and needed some people to help around the place. Although they promised fifty dollars to any person who decided to work that day, Peter agreed to help because he felt like he owed Erik and his family. After all, they have been taking care of him these last nine days. While driving to his work area, neither one of the addressed what had happened the previous night. While one mutant was reflecting on the definition of family, the other was focused on his past actions… one in particular that may have costed the other’s family. Once they arrived at the facility, Peter couldn’t help but snicker.  
“Well at least I wasn’t that far off with the metal-related jobs. Still, this place looks kinda dead.”  
“Now listen,” Erik began as he put on his jacket, “my boss doesn’t exactly like mutants. In fact, I’d go as far to say that he despises them.”  
“Wow, a human hating a mutant. Go figure.”  
“Anyways, I do not want you to expose your powers in this facility.”  
“I’m guessing he doesn’t know who you really are?”  
“Correct and I plan on keeping it that way. I’m not telling you this to bring your down or to put a dent on your ego. My boss has some powerful friends. One wrong move and they could send you to some labor camp deep within the woods. Just promise me that you’ll play it safe.”  
Peter nodded. “Okay. But you do realize that if your boss starts giving you shit, I gonna intervene.”  
“Pietro-”  
“Seriously, Peter isn’t that hard of a name to fuck up, yet you somehow always do so.”  
“-I’ve known my boss far longer than you have. If something were to occur, you will let me deal with it. Understand? Now let’s get inside.”  
When the two mutants entered the facility, they both signed in (Peter under a false name) before making their way over to the lockers. After a tour, Peter followed Erik to his work station, which was situated right in the center of all of the chaos within the large warehouse. While Erik did most of the actual constructing, Peter was in charge of grabbing any items needed in order to complete whatever project Erik was currently on. Although the main facility was engulfed in sparks and smoke, it gave Peter the perfect opportunity to finally exercise his powers after years of abuse. Whenever he got the chance, he would zip past all of the workers and hazardous elements, grab whatever Erik needed, and appear right next to him as if he had never left at all. Whatever Weapon X did to him, they definitely enhanced and polished his speed. He now possessed greater speed, agility, and stealth. If desired, as his possessors envisioned, he could now be a potential weapon. When he wasn’t running, he would stand by Erik and talk about stuff relating to pop culture, not that Erik was into the stuff. However, with Erik’s encouragement, once he began to talk about his family and his own personal life, the metal-bender found himself more drawn to the younger mutant’s words than his own work. Peter talked about Marya, Lorna, and Wanda: the three most important peoples in his life. Whenever he talked about his mother, the speedster would get into a reminiscent state. The love and acceptance she showered on him and Wanda, the patience she had with two mutant kids -- those were just some of the many things Peter loved about his mother… yet never got the chance to express. Erik especially took note about how Peter’s eyes would soften dramatically whenever he mentioned his two sisters, particularly Lorna. His ways of remembering his past helped Erik get a better picture as to who he was an individual -- a sarcastic kleptomaniac who, despite his seemingly exuberant and arrogant nature, had a much more protective, loyal, and loving side to him when it came to his family. The younger mutant was far more empathetic and intelligent whenever his family’s well-being was taken into consideration. Peter, like Erik, held a far different personality within himself that he refused to show… unless under the necessary circumstances. Eventually, the conversations switched and Erik found himself talking about his own life. Sure he left out some vital details --Magda and Anya’s existence, being a Nazi hunter, paralyzing his best friend, and, of course, being Peter’s father just to name a few-- but the emotion and honesty with what he chose to mention was enough for Peter. Although the silver-haired mutant refused to acknowledge it out loud, he actually enjoyed listening to Erik’s stories. He could now approach the man with much more understanding and even compassion. He realized that, like himself, Erik was much more layered, making him much more relatable. Eventually, the day was winding down and everyone was heading home. Erik had requested that Peter grab him one last tool which was located in a separate part of the facility. Peter zipped up to the hidden room, grabbed the power tool, and was about to run back to Erik. However, an all-too familiar voice made his freeze with fear.  
“At last, Mr. Maximoff, I finally found you.”   
Peter turned around and saw a ginger man supported thick, round glasses and a beard. “Cornelius… what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be back in those labs torturing innocent kids?”  
“You act as though what we have done was a curse. In the labs, I have seen you use the gifts we have given you. Not only have you become exactly what we envisioned you to be, but you became what you desired to be: faster, stronger, and more powerful.”  
“True, but I didn’t imagine myself getting steroids and other sketchy shit injected into me in the process.”  
When the Doctor approached Peter, the mutant began to back away until his back was pressed against a wall. The Doctor was now inches away from his face. Peter was considering running away, but then-  
“Are you sure you want to draw attention to yourself in a facility owned by a mutant-phobic businessman? He could have you shipped back into our care in less than a second. My dear boy, there is still so much potential within you that we have yet to unlock. Now let’s head back to the lab in a civilized manner.”  
“You think I’m going back with you? After everything you did to me and those other mutant, you think I’m going to willingly walk back in there and let you guys experiment on me again? You’re out of your goddamn mind!”  
“You don’t get it, Mr. Maximoff. You see, I wasn’t asking for your permission.”  
Before Peter could say or do anything, Doctor Abraham Cornelius tasered Peter on his back, sending him onto the ground as well as agitating his still-healing wounds. Due to the electricity violently surging throughout his body, Peter couldn’t move or speak. As the doctor wrapped his wrists and legs in plastic cuffs and had begun to drag him away, the shock began to fade away. When the right moment came, Peter kicked the doctor with both of his feet before crawling toward the open area. He would’ve moved a lot faster, however his bound body still jolted and spasmed due to the remaining electricity flowing through his body. Eventually, he was close to the main opening where Erik was. However, as he turned around, he saw Cornelius taking out two more tasers, one in each hand, that were set on much higher voltages. Time seemed to slow down for Peter. He watched in slow motion the probes of the tasers exit the gun and shooting at him, one aiming directly at his head and the other at his neck. Even with his enhancements, he knew for a fact that he wouldn’t be able to out crawl the probes. So, with the little second he had left, he managed to get one thing out.

“ERIK!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Doctor Abraham Cornelius was an employee at Weapon X :) Just an FYI!!
> 
> I'll try to update soon :D Like I said, I still have one more paper I need to finish (and that paper is much harder and longer).
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of love?? Please feel free to leave them in the comments below :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Because I have yet to finish my second essay, I decided to take a quick break and write another chapter! Also, if I didn't publish this chapter soon, I'm pretty sure I'd go crazy. This one is VERY heavy on the father-son bonding :D  
> I'll be busy for this upcoming week, so I probably won't be able to update until... Thursday/Friday? I love writing this story and I probably should focus more on my academics :D
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling errors and possible slight OCC-ness!!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

As soon as he heard his name echo throughout the large facility, Erik himself instantly dropped what he was doing and ran towards the person yelling his name. As he ran, he couldn’t help but fear that it was Peter calling his name. Unfortunately, when he arrived at the scene, his fears were confirmed.  
On the ground, he saw Peter lying on his side, violently spazzing and twitching on the ground. He instantly knelt beside the mutant and reached to touch his shoulder, however, a sharp clicking sound stopped him. It was only when he heard the sounds that he also discovered nine wires sticking out from Peter’s head, neck, and back. He followed their paths and realized that they were attached to three plastic guns. Peter had be tasered. He was about to use his powers to remove the probes from the poor mutant, but he felt a hand grabbed his jacket and force him away from the writhing mutant.  
“What the hell are you doing?” Erik yelled, his eyes not leaving the mutant on the ground. “Can’t you see that he’s hurt?”  
“Do not touch him! He’s a mutant!”   
Erik stopped struggling and turned around to face the man who had pulled him away. “Sir, my name is Doctor Abraham Cornelius and-”  
“Do you know who did this? Who tasered that man?”  
“I did.”  
“What? Why?”  
“Because he was attacking me! I was down here, organizing some tools, when that man suddenly attacked me! He flung me against a wall and claimed that the mutant race will prevail.”  
Erik looked down at Peter, who had somehow managed to focus his rolling eyes on Erik. For a brief second, his eyes cleared up and deeply stared Erik down. Within that one second, Erik could read everything that was being silently communicated: Peter didn’t attack Cornelius... it went the other way around. When Cornelius wasn’t looking, Erik nodded to the mutant on the ground, confirming that he understood what really went down. Then… Erik’s boss, David, came to the scene, along with a few fellow workers.  
“What is the meaning of this?!” he yelled in Polish.  
“Sir, this man is a mutant! He knocked me against the wall and tossed me around. I had to taser him in self-defense.”  
David kneeled down beside the spastic mutant. “Get it out of my sight.”  
“I work at a facility a few miles away that deals with mutants like him! We put them right in their place and make them more… acceptable.”  
Weapon X. This was what that foreign stranger back at the store mentioned. They were going to take Peter back to the place he managed to escape. After all, Peter had unintentionally mentioned that he was a runaway. Erik needed to come up with a solution that would not only protect his own little secret, as well as his family, but also to keep Peter safe.  
“If I could make a suggestion-” Erik tried to begin.  
“Wait a second! Mr. Eisenhardt, didn’t you come in with this freak?”  
“I had no idea he was one until the Doctor arrived!" Boy oh boy, Erik should've gotten an Oscar for his convincing look and tone of disbelief. "David, I know that you aren’t exactly a big fan of mutants, and I won’t question why. That said, I will admit to have recently encountered this mutant at the local bookstore many times and have gotten into some marvelous conversations. Yesterday, he heard about our lack of workers and wanted to help out.” He heard a whimper coming from Peter, prompting him to get to the point. “He’s a good person. If he weren’t one, I’d be sure to keep away from him.” No response. “Can we at least have some humanity and remove the probes from his body. By now, it won’t matter if they’re in or not: he’ll be subdued for quite some time now.”  
No one made a move to help the mutant. Erik looked up at the men, not only silently pleading for some help but also silently expressing disgust and anger. When he realized that no one was going to help him, he grabbed a pair of thick, rubber gloves that laid on a shelf and used them to gently removed each probe one by one, secretly using his powers to assist him during the task. Once he managed to remove them all, he rolled Peter onto his back stared down at him. Unfortunately, Peter’s eyes were still rolling in their sockets, desperately trying to focus on one thing.  
“Django,” Erik said, remembering the fake name Peter had written on the sign-in sheet, “are you alright?”  
“Th-Th-Thank-k-k-k… y-you.”  
Right after those words left his mouth, Peter’s eyes rolled into the back of head and he went limp, saving for the occasional twitch. Erik instinctively bent forward and placed his two fingers on Peter’s neck. He knelt there quietly, praying that Peter wasn’t hurt too badly.  
“Is he dead?” his co-worker, Philip, asked from behind.  
“No. He’s just lost consciousness.”   
No, he wasn’t dead. But Erik was actually surprised at that fact. Based on how red his forehead and neck were, he could tell that Peter was hit with high voltages powerful enough to subdue even the more resilient mutant. It was a miracle that Peter simply lost consciousness after being tased so long with that high of a voltage. Erik stood up and looked at his boss.   
“We cannot leave him here.”  
“You’re right. We should send him over to the Doctor’s place.”  
“We don’t even know if that Doctor has the credentials to look after that man. How about this: the mutant will sleep off the effects in our lounge. Based on the voltage the tasers were at, I’m pretty sure that he will not regain consciousness for quite some time. Once he awakens, we let him decide on where he wants to go next. It’s only fair.” Before David could respond, Erik made another point. “David, you’ve always told me that humans were the better men. Now’s the time to prove it.”  
While David silently pondered over the idea, Erik looked back down at Peter with genuine concern. He was worried not only about the mutant’s physical health, but also the state he may be in once he comes to. Knowing that Peter had encountered someone who probably had something to do with the wounds spread all on his body, Erik was wondering how exactly he was going to console the man without revealing too much information. But one thing was clear: the metal-bender would make Cornelius pay.  
“Fine,” David finally replied. “He can stay here until he awakens. After that, I don’t ever want to see him in this facility ever again! Am I clear, Erik?”  
“Yes sir.”  
“Everyone go home! I want you all back here on Monday around eleven o’clock!”  
The only people who didn’t automatically leave were Erik, Philip, and Cornelius. They all were lost in their own thoughts, each one of them forming opinions on the whole concept of mutation. Cornelius was about to approach Peter, but he was stopped by Erik, who stood protectively over the unconscious mutant.  
“It’s funny,” Erik began in English, “you claim that Django attacked you, yet I do not see a scratch on you. And if your view on mutants is correct, then you should be the one lying on the floor in pain… not him.”  
Cornelius’ eyes hardened. “What are you saying?”  
“Nothing. I’m merely pointing out a flaw in your cover up.”  
“It seems odd that you’re defending a freak like him.”  
“Mutation aside, this man is a good person. That, Doctor, is what matters in the end. Goodnight and thank you for your help here today.”  
Cornelius eyed Peter one last time before walking out of the room. Once he was sure that the Doctor was gone, he knelt down tore off the bindings around Peter's wrists and ankles. He then slide one of his arms underneath Peter’s shoulders and lifted him up into a sitting position. Erik bit down a sad smile when Peter’s head lolled onto his shoulder, his breath tickling his neck.  
“Hey Erik,” Philip asked, “that was really cool… sticking up for the kid. If you ask me, that makes you better than all of the men in this facility.”  
“What are you talking about?”  
“I don’t know. I guess I’m just tired of watching others hurting each other without a justifiable reason. Hating someone because of their genetics? Hating someone because of how they look? I can understanding hating someone if they had a rotten personality, but genetics? I don’t know… it just doesn't feel right.”  
“Well if you ask me, being able to see the rights and wrongs in society makes you just as important and special. Now all you have to do is get the courage to speak out against what you feel is wrong.”  
Philip smiled before patting Erik on the back. “Goodnight, Erik. Have a great weekend.”  
The mutant nodded, waiting for his friend to leave to facility all together, before turning his attention back to Peter. After a few seconds of metal preparation, he slid his free arm under Peter’s knees and stood up, taken aback by how light the other mutant was. Even while he and his wife were feeding him, the silver-haired mutant still managed to weigh far less than he should. It was either that or Erik was getting stronger. As he walked over to the lounge, he looked back down at the mutant in his arms and smiled.

_“My little lion, don’t you ever change.”_

Erik shook the memory away and focus back on getting his charge to the lounge. Once he arrived, he gently lowered Peter onto the old couch before shrugging off his jacket and placing it under the mutant’s head. He walked over to a dresser and pulled out two blankets. He covered Peter with one while wrapping the other around his own shoulders. He kicked off his shoes, pulled a chair right at the head of the couch, and stared at the sleeping mutant for a few seconds. He missed so much since he first saw Peter and looking at him now, all grown up, made his heart flutter with pride and break with shame. Shame aimed towards himself more than anyone. Before he could drown in self-pity and anguish, Erik turned back around and turned on the small television placed in front of the couch. And now, all he had to do was wait for Peter to wake up. Then they could discuss the elephant in the room: Weapon X.  
Erik was so deep in his own thoughts --thoughts that continued to consume his mind until he fell asleep -- that he never noticed the disturbing headline that swam across the bottom of the television.

“-and with some breaking news from the studio. Only two days after the deadly massacre in Egypt that has now claimed more than three thousand lives, we are getting live reports that another deadly attack has taken place in the United Kingdom. Authorities believe that the bloodbath originated in London and has since spread all across the nation. Reporters say that almost five thousand lives have been claimed while nine thousand have been injured. The numbers are expected to rise.”  
Charles, who was watching the news, about to conjure up some kind of reason as to why all of these massacres were occurring, but the face of a young doctor came popping from the hallway.  
“Mr. Xavier, I have your results.”  
“Thank you Doctor MacTaggert.”  
“I mean there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with you physically. If you continue to get those monstrous headaches, I’ve written out a prescription that will help ease your pain.”  
“Thank you, Doctor. Have a lovely evening.”  
As Charles wheeled himself towards the exit, prescription in hand, he could sense curiosity and… familiarity radiating off of the female. He could feel the doctor trying to figure out where she had seen him before. Considering that this was the first time they’ve encountered each other since he had wiped her mind clean, it didn’t really surprise Charles that there were some lingering thoughts in her mind. But then, her mind shifted from curiosity to anticipation. Finally, right when he was about to leave the room, Moira called him back in.  
“Mr. Xavier, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a couple of minutes.”  
“Absolutely. What can I help you with?”  
“I, uhh, heard from other sources that you run a school gifted youngsters. What exactly do you mean by gifted?”  
“Kids with incredible.. gifts, both intellectual and visible. Unfortunately, circumstances have caused a good amount of these young kids to be abandoned by their own kin. So if ever they need a place to feel accepted, they can come here. I have to ask, why so interested in gifted youngsters? Do you have a young kid as beautiful and intelligent as yourself?”  
Moira blushed. “No. Actually, the reason I was wondering was because I’ve heard these rumors survivors of these attacks disappearing in order to join cults of some kind. During the body count, according to inside sources, no one was ever able to find a body that contained either the x-gene or scientific enhancement. I just… maybe some of your gifted youngsters could possibly help me find out where all of these survivors have gone.”  
Charles’ was immediately tempted to say no. Yes, he curious about where these missing people have disappeared off to. But then again, sticking his nose in other people’s affairs could spell out danger, both for him and his students and friends.  
“Here,” he said while handing over his card. “Because it’s a school, I’m afraid that our students affairs will be more directed towards academics and socialization. However, I will mention this news to a few of my colleagues who may be able to help you out. Just give me a call if anything else comes up, alright?”  
“I will. Thank you Mr. Xavier.”  
“Please call feel free to call me Charles,” the mutant replied with a wink.  
As he wheeled himself out towards his car where Hank was waiting, he began to debate on whether or not a.) helping Moira out could be potentially fatal and b.) whether or not he should tell her the truth about mutants… and about their past relationship.

Ouch. That was the first thing Peter thought when he woke up on an unfamiliar couch in an unfamiliar room in the middle of the night. His head, neck, and back were killing him, and his vision refused to clear up. He must’ve made some kind of noise of displeasure because the the next thing he knew, lights were coming on and he found himself staring right into Erik’s eyes. There was a look of relief and amusement in the metal-bender’s eyes.  
“Well… at least I can cross ‘get tased’ off my bucket list.”  
Erik smirked. “Why you even have that on your list, I have no clue. How are you feeling?”  
“Like shit. What happened after that psycho Doctor shocked me?”  
“Well, my boss came and-”  
“He did? Does he know about me and what I am now?” A nod. “What about you?”  
“No. I managed to convince him to help you without exposing my own little… secret.”  
“Good. What time is it exactly?”  
“Nearly three in the morning. Considering how high the voltages on the three tasers were set to, it’s no wonder why you’ve been out for this amount of time.”  
“Woah… and you’ve been here this entire time?”  
“Of course. I needed to make sure that there was no lasting damage or unusual side-effects.”  
Peter couldn’t help but smile. “So… what now?”  
“Well, considering that you are banned from this facility, I’d say that we need to head back home.”  
While Erik went to the other side of the room to go to wash his hands, Peter slowly sat up, growling in annoyance whenever a jolt shot through his body. Eventually, he managed to stand up completely, wincing as the throbbing in his head only increased. It was only when he stood up that he realized that Erik had not only covered him with a blanket, but also used his own jacket as a pillow for his head to rest on. Once again, another genuine smile appeared on Peter’s face. By the time Erik came out, Peter had already folded up the two blankets and placed them neatly on the couch.  
“Here,” Peter said while tossing Erik’s jacket back to him. "Thanks.”  
“No problem. You ready?”  
With a nod, Peter took one step and nearly fell to the ground. He was caught, however, by a metal pot that was floating inches away from his face.  
“Glad to see that you’ve still got that magic in you,” he called as he used the floating pot for support.  
Once he felt like he could stand without falling, Peter let go of the object and began to slowly make his way over towards the car, Erik right behind him for support. Occasionally, the silver-haired mutant stumbled, but whenever he did, Erik was always there to catch him. Eventually, the pair made their way over to the vehicle and began to drive off back towards their home.  
“So who was that?” Erik asked while driving.  
“Just some lunatic. Don’t worry about him.”  
“Right after you lost consciousness, he mentioned something about working at a facility that deals with mutants like you. In his own words, he claims that his workplace makes mutant more acceptable. Is he from Weapon X?”  
“Damnit Erik, why can’t you let that go?”  
“Because I’m no stranger to your experiences. I want to help you!”  
“You can help me by forgetting about it, okay?”  
Peter kept looking out the window, refusing to meet Erik’s gaze. The metal-bender suddenly turned the car back around and drove the pair down some hidden pathway.  
“Uhh Erik, what the hell are you doing? If you’ve become some kind of pedophile, I’m bailing. Seriously, I’ll jump out of this car and run like hell.”  
Erik ignored Peter’s questions and continued to drive down the narrow road. Finally, he parked the car on top of a hill that overlooked the small town, as well as the endless forest surrounding neighboring buildings. Peter was instantly captivated by the view. He got out of the car and sat on the hood, staring at the beautiful scene in awe. What also made this so captivating was the fact that there were so many stars, the full moon also illuminating the night sky. Erik smiled at the younger mutant’s fascination before sitting on the hood right beside Peter.  
“Whenever I feel angry or lost, I always come here,” Erik said. “Even in daylight, the view helps keep me grounded. It makes me realize just how… powerless I am in comparison to Nature.”  
“Easy there, Emerson. Still… this is a pretty amazing view.”  
A long pause. “Look Peter, the reason I ask you all of those questions in regards to Weapon X is because I don’t like seeing someone as lively and good-natured like yourself hurting. It’s neither right nor fair.”   
“Well life’s not fair, but what are you gonna do about it?”  
Erik took a deep breath. “One thing I forgot to mention was about a man named Sebastian Shaw. He was a mutant like myself, working for the Nazi’s in Auschwitz, yet he choose to expose the power of mutation through the means of others. So, while I was in Auschwitz, I was separated from my family and taken to an individual study that belonged to Shaw. Little did I realize that the study was also a laboratory for experimentation. He saw me use my powers and wanted to see for himself if I could become something of use for him.” Erik reached into his pocket and took out a coin. “He told me to lift this.”  
Peter brought the metal object close to his face to examine it. He quickly realized that he was holding an actual Nazi German Silver Reichsmark Coin. His eyes instantly darkened. Erik continued his story.  
“I, back then being a young, frightened boy who was just separated from my entire family, tried my damnedest to lift the coin. But not only was I terribly frightened, but I also had not yet learned how to fully control my powers. I failed. So then, to motivate me more, Shaw brought in my mother. He used her as leverage. He told me that I couldn’t lift that coin… he’d kill her. I tried and I tried and I tried. I’m guessing you can put together what happened next.” Peter sadly looked at Erik. “And then, right after I had lost the most important person in my entire life, Shaw began to experiment on me. Rather than let me mourn the death of my family, he proceeded to evaluate the concept of mutations. He took everything from me…”  
Peter didn’t know what to do. Should he comfort Erik? Let him continue his reflection? Tell him about his own hell in Weapon X? He didn’t know what he should in this delicate situation. The most comforting he’s done was whenever Lorna had a nightmare, or when Wanda was bullied at school. He’s never had to deal with someone mourning a massive loss. He’s never had to comfort someone who witnessed a tragic death only to be tormented right after. It was actually ironic that he didn’t know what to do because he himself went through the exact same process of losing the ones he held dear. Closing his eyes, Peter took in a deep breath, and began a small tale.  
“It’s funny… Shaw seems like the microcosm of Weapon X. But instead of being the future, Weapon X believed that the only purpose for a mutant was to become a weapon of destruction and order. The facility moved from place to place because they didn’t want to be caught by the feds or government officials. When I was in Ireland, my home was a cage. It wasn’t small at all: in fact, it was actually huge. Unfortunately, I had a metal cuff wrapped around my neck, which was attached to a chain that was locked onto the side of the cage. If it wasn’t for the collar, I would’ve had much more freedom. Instead, I was limited to only a few feet, while the remaining fifteen mocked me. It’s like… a bird being held down by a rope. There’s just so much space ready for you… yet the chain wrapped around you holds you back, forcing you to just watch all of that space patiently sit still and wait for your arrival. Anyway, these scientists had just injected me with some kind of serum that was suppose to enhance my strength or whatever. I automatically knew that it didn’t work.” He patted his stomach. “Fast metabolism. Gotta love it. None of the serums worked. My enhancements came from more physical training than medicines. They injected me with a serum that didn’t work. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t lift that damn beam. Those bastards didn’t believe me… so they brought Lorna in. They told me that if I didn’t break the chain that was holding me back, they’d kill her. No matter how hard I tried… I just couldn’t do it. And then…”  
Peter couldn’t even get that last part out. The memory was too fresh and the pain was too agonizing. But thankfully Erik was smart enough to understand what happened next. Peter took a deep breath and continued.  
“I saw my little sister die right in front of my eyes. Right after that, they took me back to the rooms that dealt with psychological improvement. They thought sympathy and grief was a weakness that could be cured through brute force.” He looked at Erik and tried to smile. “I guess you and I have a lot more in common than we thought.”  
Peter was taken by surprise when Erik had wrapped an arm around his shoulders. While his instincts screamed at him to move away, his heart gently persuaded him to accept the comforting gesture. If Peter were to be perfectly honest, he was getting sick of his instincts. He leaned into the embrace and sighed, his eyes traveling back to the scenic view.  
“I’m sorry,” he quietly said, “about your mother. No matter how big of an ass you were in DC… nobody deserves to suffer like that.”  
“I agree. Nobody, including yourself, deserves to endure traumatic events like that.” Erik slowly unwrapped his arm from Peter’s shoulders and looked back out at the view. “I hate seeing someone like you suffering like this. I would like to make a suggestion though. I’ve learned that talking can be therapeutic for some. So if you ever feel the need to talk to someone, know that I’ll be right here. ”  
“Jesus Christ, you’re not gonna go all Mr. Rogers on me, are you?”  
Erik smirked. “Don’t worry. That’s more of Charles’ thing. Not mine. I just want you to know that I’m here for you whenever you need me.”  
Peter smiled and patted the other man’s bicep for a second before looking back out to the view. The two men sat on the car hood in silence, watching the sun slowly peek out from behind the hills so far away. They silently reflected on the stories they had both shared and the vulnerability that came with it. They formed much more respectable, and even loving attitudes towards each other. They silently wished that they could reveal everything they’ve withheld for so long, but the constant danger both of them have brought with them continued to silence their wishes. They were so lost in their own thoughts that they never noticed En Sabah Nur standing in the shadows four meters behind them, smiling with anticipation and confirmation.

The next morning, The First One, in a human form, came striding into the Weapon X facility with his two horsemen, Psylocke and Storm, right by his side. He requested a meeting with Major William Stryker, the head of this whole operation (in this base at least). As he patiently waited for approval to go to the man’s office, the powerful mutant noticed a ‘Missing Person’s Sign’ that addressed the sudden disappearance of Doctor Abraham Cornelius. Stryker was sitting in his office, looking over some files given to him in regards to a certain motor-mouth that had yet to shut up, but he was interrupted by a knocking at his door.  
“Come in.”  
Nur sat down, his two horsemen standing by the doorway. “Good morning, Major. I’m sorry to have come at such an early hour. I’m also sorry to hear about that missing Doctor of yours. He must’ve been a brilliant man.”  
“No problem and don’t worry about the Doctor. He just took off without telling us anything, so his disappearance is on him if anyone. So what do you want?”  
“Like yours, I work for an agency that recruits mutants for the sake of weaponry. I have been informed that you have lost a few mutants, or lab rats, a few weeks ago.”  
“So?"  
“What if I told you that I found one of them?”  
That caught Stryker’s attention. “Which one?”  
“The one you named Subject Fifty-Four. The Maximoff kid related to Erik Lehnsherr.”  
“How did you find him?”  
“That is not important right now. What matters is that I have his location and I can bring you to him within the next three days.”  
Stryker smiled. “You don’t look like a man who does things out of the generosity of your heart. What do you want in return?”  
“It’s very simple. I want one of your subjects you’ve been testing on these last few weeks.”  
“Which one? We have an assassin, a katana-wielding motor-mouth, a blob, a teleporter, a-”  
“I want the one who, I’ve heard, drives people insane.”  
The major didn’t need to know anything else. He got up from his desk and led the small group to a basement deep beneath the facility. There, at the other end of the empty space, sat a silver creature sitting in the corner of his cell. The creature had glowing yellow eyes that could burn any man’s soul who dared look directly into them. The illuminating yellow could also be seen throughout his entire body, highlighting his veins. His outer figure looked like an alien that resembled nothing of a normal human body. While the creature in the cage snarled like a beast, Stryker simply smiled.  
“You know, those who actually take any consideration of using him don’t usually last for more than a few seconds until they blow their brains out. What do you want with him?”  
“It’s simple really. Like I had said earlier, I collect mutants in order to use them as weapons. There is one mutant in particular who, based on my knowledge, is quite hard to break. With powers like your subject’s here, I will have my desired mutant begging for mercy at the end of the day. Now, in exchange for your mutant, I will give you Peter Maximoff.”  
“How do you know where he is? With his powers, he could be running across the Atlantic Ocean by now.”  
“Trust me. I’m twelve steps ahead of him. So what do you say? Do we have a deal?”  
The human looked at Nur’s hand, quickly debating on whether or not to sacrifice one of their most powerful weapons. However, he needed to get Peter back into this facility for more testing. Stryker needed the runner back here to save his own hair. He shook the mutant’s hand and addressed his subject growling in the cage across from him.

“Well Caliban, it looks like you’re finally being put into use!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sucked at describing Caliban lol Feel free to look him up on Google Images! Based on what I've read in the comics, he's more pale than silver. But I still went with the more menacing look.  
> The next few chapters, things will REALLY pick up! I promise!!
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of love?? Please feel free to write them down in the comments below :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Finished all three (yes, there was apparently a third one) papers and have decided to celebrate by writing another chapter! This one is all Erik/Peter and also has a lot of action!!
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling errors and possible slight OOC-ness!!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

“Do you have to go?”  
Peter, who was patiently waiting for Erik to come down, kneeled down so that he was at eye-level with Nina. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.  
“I’m sorry kiddo, but I think I may have overstayed my welcome. Trust me, I wish I could stay here a little bit longer too.”  
“Papa says he likes having you here. So does mama. Why do you have to go?”  
“Remember when I told you that my family is all the way back in America? I want to be with them again. I haven’t seen them in a very long time and I miss them a lot.”  
In all honesty, Peter had no idea where he was going to go. There was no way in hell he could stay here. Not with Weapon X looking for him. If he went back to America, at least he would have more options in terms of next moves. He couldn’t tell Nina that his entire family had been slaughtered like animals: that would not only upset her, but also want him to stay with her and her family a lot longer. He needed to leave Poland so he could not only escape Weapon X, but also keep Erik’s family safe. Suddenly, Nina leaned forward and wrapped her small arms around his neck. At first, Peter was taken by surprise. But then, he returned the hug, wrapping his own arms in a gentle embrace.  
“I’ll come visit you all, okay? I promise.”  
“That’s what they all say…”  
Peter felt a pinch of guilt. “Well lucky for you, I like to keep my promises. Come on, I can’t abandon my favorite Doctor! That’d be insane and cruel! Nina, you’re possibly one of my favorite persons I’ve ever met. Unless you all decide to move without notifying me, I know where you live and will visit you.”  
She pulled away from him and lifted up her pinky. “Pinky promise?”  
He smirked before sticking out his own pinky and intertwined it with the little girl’s. “Pinky promise,” he replied in Polish.  
Peter let Nina climb on his back and sit on his shoulders. He smiled when her tiny hands gently gripped his silver hair for support. He began to prance around the living, making sure that Nina didn’t hit her head on the ceiling. Eventually, Erik and his wife came walking down the stairs. Peter lowered Nina onto the floor and watched the little girl run into her mother’s arms. He couldn’t lie: that sight made him both envious and nostalgic. Aleksandra put Nina down and pulled Peter into a warm embrace. It reminded him of his mother.  
“Thank you,” the mutant said. “I owe you all so much.”  
“You returned the favor by helping us take care of Nina and the house. Consider us even. Now don’t be a stranger, okay? Come back soon!”  
“Don’t worry, I will. After all, I sorta pinky promised Nina and those kinds of promises are unbreakable. Thank you all for everything. I really mean it.” He then turned to Erik. “You ready?”  
Erik nodded before making his way towards the car. To Peter’s slight confusion, he could tell that Erik was slightly upset about something. Eh, it probably was the fact that he had to go straight to work right after dropping Peter off at the bus station. He hugged Aleksandra one last time before heading out the door. To his surprise, Nina positioned herself so that she was blocking the exit. Sighing, Peter lifted her into his arms and tightly hugged her.  
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “I’m going to come back.” He pulled away from her and smiled. “You’re an amazing person. There’s no way I’m going to abandon someone as awesome as you. Thanks for everything, Nina.”  
“You’re welcome, Peter. Thanks for being my big brother.”  
That last comment nearly brought Peter to tears. The last time he was called a big brother, Lorna was cradled in his arms, begging him not to leave. Pleading her big brother to stay at home with Wanda and Marya. He pushed down the emotions that threatened to spill out and gently handed Nina over to Aleksandra. Then, he pressed a gentle kiss on the little girl’s forehead before pressing his own against her’s.  
“I’ll be back. Pinky promise.”  
Finally, he pulled away from the pair and made his way over to Erik, who was watching the scene take place from the car. Peter hopped into the passenger's seat and waved goodbye to Aleksandra and Nina, who were watching them from the doorframe.  
“You ready, Erik?”  
The metal-bender didn’t reply verbally. Instead, he simply started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

When they arrived at the bus station, Peter didn’t automatically make any move to exit the car. Instead, he turned to face Erik and tried to conjure up appropriate departing words. After a minute of silence, Peter came up with-  
“You should listen to something other than classical. Listening to an old man playing the piano for thirty minutes can drive someone insane. Try Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin.”  
Erik tried to smile, but he couldn’t. There was so much stuff that he wanted to tell Peter. In fact, there was almost too much stuff. However, out of all the dozens and dozens of thoughts that floated in his mind, the one that screamed the loudest was also the hardest one to suppress. He knew that telling Peter that he was his father would only spark questions and resentment, damaging this small bond they’ve formed over these last two and a half weeks. He guessed that some things were never meant to be revealed. Peter’s voice interrupted his thoughts.  
“Hey man, thanks for everything.”  
“Pardon?”  
“Aw come on, don’t make me say it again.” A sigh. “You and your family took care of me even after I broke into your house, bleeding and vomiting all over the place. Not to mention that you watched out for me after Cornelius fried my ass. I mean… you even opened up about Shaw and shit. That must’ve taken a lot of balls for you to do so. I appreciate it, man.”  
Erik patted Peter’s bicep. “No problem at all. After everything you’ve done around the place, it’s the least I could do. You’re welcome here anytime. I don’t think Nina will ever forgive you if you broke the promise you made her. My wife will miss your lively attitude and engaging discussions.”  
“And what about you? Come on, there’s gotta be at least one thing you’ll miss about me when I’m gone.”  
Despite rolling his eyes, Erik warmly replied, “I will admit, it will be rather quiet around here without your music reverberating throughout our kitchen. Nina and I rather enjoyed your taste in music.” A beat. “Thank you for all of your help around the place and for bringing in some new energy into this rather… humdrum life.”  
“No problem. Can I just recommend something?”  
“Go ahead.”  
“You may find your life boring at the moment. Believe me, I do too. In fact, remember that one time we had nothing to do and when I recommended we go into the woods to exercise our abilities only to end up helping Filip fix his car and-”  
“Pietro-”  
“Peter.”  
“-get to the point.”  
“Don’t take this life for granted. One day, when you least expect it, you could lose everything.”  
“I know that feeling,” Erik muttered to himself. “Well, you’d better be on your way or else you’ll miss your bus.”  
Peter nodded, reaching for his considerably small backpack which laid in the backseat. He extended his hand towards Erik.  
“Thanks for making me feel like I had a family again, Erik. It really meant a lot to me.”  
The voice inside Erik was now screaming itself raw. Still, he forced himself to block out his emotions and shook Peter’s hand. They stared at each other for a few seconds, silently exchanging thoughts of gratitude and even compassion towards each other. Also, Erik wanted to look at his son one last time for as long as possible. He didn’t know when he’d ever see Peter again. Right now, he wanted to take just how strong and wiser Peter has become since their first encounter so many years ago. Finally, he forced himself let go of his son and watched the younger mutant exit the vehicle.  
“Take it slow, Pietro.”  
Peter rolled his eyes, not wanting to have to repeat himself for the fiftieth time. And then, Erik drove away from Peter, not knowing when he’ll see his son again… if ever. The silver-haired mutant watched the car depart, his emotions beginning to slowly trickle out. Fuck, he needed a drink. As he began to walk to the bar, he finally let the one statement slip out.  
“Bye dad.”

Peter sat in the empty bar nursing what was his sixth beer (which proceeded with three shots of tequila). His bus had taken off five minutes ago and although he could’ve easily caught up to it, the speedster just couldn’t find the motivation to do so. He wished he could go over to Erik’s workplace and tell him everything that he withheld during their time together. He yearned to see to see the look on Erik’s face once he told the truth. He wanted to make Erik feel the weight of his actions and cowardliness. He just wanted Erik to know the truth. As his thoughts continued to flow, a thought suddenly pounded against his head. He had no idea what it was, but he knew that it was important. He closed his eyes and concentrated all of his mental power into figuring out what-

_“How about this: in precisely two weeks, I will pay your father a visit. Peter Maximoff, I will avenge the pain he’s put you and your family through all of these years. I will take away from him what he took away from you.”_

Once again, Peter heard the bottle in his hand break. The bartender, who looked more annoyed this time, was about to scold the mutant, but Peter instantly grabbed the man’s sleeve.  
“I need your phone,” he quickly said in Polish.  
“Wh-What are you-”  
“Jesus Christ, just give me the damn phone!!! Please!”  
The bartender could see more horror than danger in the man’s eyes, so he nodded and handed over the bar’s phone. As Peter quickly dialed a set of numbers, his mind went back to Erik and his family. Yes, he was extremely disappointed in Erik, even a little hurt, but he knew deep down that he didn’t deserve to endure more losses. After all, he did let him stay over and recover while also telling bits about his own personal life. But most importantly, he didn’t want Nina or Aleksandra to get hurt or worse. He refused to let down another family.  
“Hello?”  
“Philip! It’s Django, Erik’s ki- friend who got tasered Friday.”  
“Oh hey kid! How are you feeling? Last time I saw you, Erik was defending you when that Doctor proposed to take you to some mutant facility. He was very worried about you. Rumor has it that he stayed up all night until you came around. You must be pretty special to him.” Peter mentally scolded himself when he felt another genuine smile pop up. “I was about to head out to work and-”  
“Listen!!! This is an emergency! I think Erik’s family might be in danger!”  
“Slow down, kid! What’s going on? Why is his family in danger? And how do you even know about this?”  
“I’ll explain the details later but right now I need your help!” No reply. “Erik isn’t the only good guy at that facility. He told me about how you aren’t prejudice against anyone, mutant or human, and that you know right from wrong in this fucked up society. If you ask me, that makes you just as great of a person as Erik. Please Philip, Erik and his family don’t deserve what may happen next. Help me right this wrong.”  
After a few moments of silence, his reply was, “Okay kid, tell me what you need me to do.”

Erik was blankly staring down at the metal he was suppose to be melting, but his mind was too occupied with Peter’s departure. A part of him just wanted to put these last few weeks to rest, while another part wanted to chase the bus down, talk to his son and explain himself. It absolutely bothered Erik that he wasted the opportunity to get closer with his son after all of this time apart. He was furious and disappointed in himself: the great Magneto was a coward, plain and simple. It was only after brushing aside thoughts of Peter for the fifteenth time that he realized that his entire workplace was silent. He looked around the large area space and discovered that he was the only one a.) working and b.) in the facility.  
“Hello?” he said aloud, his voice bouncing against the walls.  
And then, some workmen slowly walked towards him. However, much to his confusion, their iris’ and scleras were black. They looked possessed. They surrounded him completely, leaving a good amount of open space for him to walk around or run, but not to escape the circle. And then, a section of the circle broke apart, creating an opening for a cloaked figure who was followed by two women: one of them with white hair in the form of a mohawk, and the other one with long black hair that contained streaks of dark purple. Once they came to a halt, the two women stared at Erik with a blank expression. However, Erik’s attention was all on the hooded figure standing across from him.  
“Who the fuck are you?”  
The man slowly let his hood fall and revealed a mutant with purple skin, red eyes, and headgear that was attached to multiple wires. Despite his seemingly short height, this mutant had muscle. He looked like he could tear a human apart in less than a second.  
“Erik Lehnsherr-- mutant, terrorist, and family man. It’s such a privilege to finally meet the white knight.”  
“Who the hell are you and what do you want?!”  
“Forgive the unsettling introduction. My name is En Sabah Nur, The First One in other words, and I’ve come here to recruit you. I’ve been watching you, Erik Lehnsherr, for a number of years. I am very disappointed that you have decided to give up your true calling for a more humdrum life. It doesn’t take a telepath to read that you are not happy living this life. You crave to bring justice to mutants who have been oppressed by humanity for far too long. Instead, you find yourself living with a wife and daughter who, although you deeply, do not know the true extent of your strength and abilities. In fact, and correct me if I’m wrong, they are not even aware of what you are. I must ask you why you decided to give up everything for this… boring life.”   
“What are you talking about? ”  
“I want to give you the future you have always desired, Magneto. I want to give mutants the world they deserve. Our kind deserves to thrive, moving our world forward, instead of being subjected to the seemingly endless torture and feebleness humans bring upon us. With my powers, as well as my two assistants behind me, we can make our dream a reality.”  
“My priorities aren’t towards the mutant race anymore. They’ve chosen their paths and I’ve come to realize that nothing I can say or do will ever change their morals. Now I suggest that you try to find someone else to aid your mission and let me be.”  
“Believe me, Erik, we have tried. For days, I’ve searched all ends of the Earth in order to find mutants strong enough to aid my cause. So far, only two of them have been willing to accept my invitation. Still, these two aren’t enough. Erik, you hold something that none of the mutants I’ve come across so far have.”  
“Which is?”  
“Experience. Wisdom obtained through unnecessary years of torture. You are one of the earliest victims of human arrogance. You’ve had to witness the death of your mother, father, sister, wife, and daughter. The pain and anguish that must’ve followed are too unbearable for the average mutant or human. Erik, you could’ve chosen to break during one of those moments. But instead, you matured every second, becoming stronger and wiser as the years went on. That, Erik Lehnsherr, separates you from the others.”  
“I’m not the only mutant who has suffered in the hands of homo-sapiens.”  
“Yes, I heard about your son and the horrors he had to endure.” Erik was shocked and afraid: shocked that this mutant knew anything about his son and afraid that he would target him. “So my theories were correct: you knew who he was the entire time. It’s a shame that you wasted an opportunity to fully expose your true connection with him… it might have made him stronger. You see, before he came across you, he and I had a brief encounter during his time at Weapon X. Although he possessed similar qualities to yours, he lacked strength.”  
“To be fair, he was being tortured at the moment of your arrival. If you had encountered me back at the camps-”  
“No no no. If I encountered you at the camps, I would’ve seen a young boy driven by rage and vengeance. I would’ve seen a man determined to beat the system and bring justice to those who enforce injustice. With Pietro-”  
“You don’t get to call him that.”  
“I’ll call him whatever I please. With Pietro, I only see a broken mutant who had let his oppressors’ win the battle. That weakness does not make him qualified to join my group. Erik, being chosen to defend the mutant race under my guidance is a privilege. I possess some rare powers that I have distributed to my two assistants here. Storm and Psylocke, show him what I have given you.”  
While Storm conjured up lightning, Psylocke wrapped purple kinetic energy around one of Erik’s tools and, with a clench of her hand, disintegrated it. She also sheathed out her katana and let the energy flow right through it, causing it to become kinetically charged.  
“Kinetic telekinesis and weather manipulation. These powers are rare, Erik. Considering that you are a metal-bender, I can grant you two gifts that could make you unstoppable. With powers I could give you, you could properly advocate for the world mutants deserve to live in. You, my dear friend, are the white knight these mutants have needed. You can unlock the inner strength mutants have been forced to suppress for centuries. You can gain new abilities and allies far powerful than any man has ever seen. You can finally shape the world into what you’ve always dreamed it to be.”  
Erik took in the mutant’s words. Although Nur had made some interesting points --the one about obtaining newfound abilities in particular -- he had already made up his mind. In fact, right when Nur mentioned his son, that was when Erik knew what his response would be.  
“You, a seemingly all-powerful mutant, visited my son yet failed to free him from his torture chamber. You had the opportunity to free him and our other brothers and sisters, yet you decided that your vision was far more important that saving the lives of our own. If you were truly all for the mutant race, you would’ve set my son and the others free, despite their so-called weaknesses, after your little visit. That act, or lack of, automatically reveals your true colors.”  
The purple mutant looked more pleased than disappointed. “Oh Erik, your own weakness is always shown whenever family comes into the picture. Lucky for you, I can cleanse you of it and make you into the fighter you were born to be.”  
“What are you talking about? What are you going to do?!”  
“Family has always made you vulnerable, Erik. So… I’ve taken the liberty of ridding your life of your family.”  
Erik’s emotions were beginning to leak from the cracks forming in his mask. “What did you do?”  
“I made you invulnerable, Erik. I made you into what I need you to be.” Nur reached out his hand towards Erik’s face. “Come now, let’s go save the mutant race.”  
Suddenly, in three seconds, five things happened: the barrier that blocked Erik’s exit was suddenly broken, hot coal was flung right into Nur’s red eyes, Psylocke was shoved nearly twenty feet backwards, Storm’s cape was wrapped tightly around her eyes, and Erik was suddenly carried off, leaving Apocalypse and his horsemen in the dust. While Storm struggled to untie her cape, Apocalypse yelled out in pain and Psylocke gracefully landed on top of a work-bench, her katana now ready for combat. Once the mutants recovered from the unexpected interruption, they all made their way towards each other and glared at the empty hole where Erik had suddenly disappeared off to.  
“Subjects,” he suddenly announced to the possessed workers, “kill them.” Storm and Psylocke made a move forward, but they were stopped by Apocalypse. “Not now, children. I want to save you both for the more important work. Let’s see how those two collaborate with each other when facing an entire army.”

In the blink of an eye, Erik found himself leaning heavily against an old machine used to melt metal and other solid objects. He quickly realized that he was now in a separate room that was very close to the exit. When his vision cleared up and his stomach stopped doing flips, the metal-bender saw a silver blur moving from one section of the room to the other. Then, his mind finally put the picture together.  
“Pietro? What on Earth happened? What is going on? Why aren’t you on your bus?”  
The blur stopped in front of him and in a second, Peter’s face could be seen. “Take it easy, Mags! And mom thought I ask too many questions.”  
Peter was wearing goggles that protected his eyes and was also carrying a knapsack stuffed with who knows what. Then, what caught Erik’s attention was how badly burnt the runner’s right hand was. Parental instincts kicking in, he grasped the younger mutant’s hand into both of his and inspected the damage.  
“Your hand.”  
“I’ll explain things later, but right now we need to get you out of here! Unfortunately, we have to take out an army consisted of sixty possessed military soldiers.” Peter finally registered that Erik was still inspecting his hand, prompting him to snatch it away. “We’ll deal with that later. Right now, we need to get out of this place before-” Suddenly, an explosion occurred on the ceiling, making rubble and dust fall on the pair. “Fun fact: they also have three tanks. Here’s the game-plan: while I disarm those guards, you destroy the tank. Then we make a run for it in the woods.” When Peter was finished, he looked over at Erik and saw anxiety in his eyes. “Erik. Hey Erik! Come on man, don’t tell me that now you’re suddenly afraid of taking on a couple of humans.”  
“My family,” Erik muttered. “H-He must of harmed them! If not that, they will see what I am and will abandon me.”  
“Hey, at least you’ll know how it feels from the receiving end! Look, Erik-  
“ I… I can’t lose them.”  
“Erik-”  
“I can’t lose another family!!”  
“Enough dad!!”  
That one slip changed Erik’s personality entirely. He went from fear to shock… and even betrayal. “You knew all of this time.”  
Another explosion above them, this time bending one of the beams above them. “You know what? Fine! You stay here and be the coward you are while I do all of the dirty work.”  
Before Erik could respond, Peter disappeared in the blink of an eye. The sound of footsteps caught Erik’s attention. He turned around and saw all of his possessed co-workers advancing towards him. Without thinking, he used his powers to shut the door and lock it, creating a barrier between him and them. He closed his eyes, gathered all of the metal he could feel (which was a lot) and tossed it at the possessed workers, knocking them onto the ground. He didn’t hit them hard enough to cause serious harm, but still with enough strength to knock them all down like bowling pins. When Erik peaked outside, he saw ten guards already go flying into the air, their weapons falling onto the ground. The metal-bender clenched his hand and watched with amusement as all of the guns flung against each other and bent into a large, useless ball. He then tossed the ball at four guards who were aiming their guns directly at Peter, knocking them onto the ground. While watching his son take down all of those soldiers, Erik could feel pride slowly build up inside him. Taking a deep breath, Erik forced open the metal doors and used his powers to pull off main guns, as well as the co-axial guns, from all of the tanks. He then flung it at the soldiers who were in a file line with their guns aimed at him. Erik then grabbed a hold on the tanks and began to slowly crumple them into separate balls. Meanwhile, Peter hoped over the tank parts with ease before either throwing punches at or shouldering all of the remaining soldiers. He disarmed many of the soldiers and gleefully watched them fly across the dirt ground. Once he was sure he had taken down all of the guards, he snapped his head over to Erik and saw just how much pleasure the metal-bender had when he exercised his powers after who knows how long. Although Peter hated to admit this, he felt happy seeing a tortured-soul like Erik’s in such a joyful and nostalgic state. When Erik made eye-contact with Peter, he nodded his head and braced himself for another nauseating. The speedster smirked, zipped up to Erik and grabbed him. He held out his fist right in front of Erik’s chest. The other mutant stared down at the fist in confusion.  
“Come on, man, we just took out an entire army! You have to fist-bump me on that!” Nothing. “Jesus, I didn’t realize how much fun this job sucked out of you.”  
With that, they took off into the thick forest. Apocalypse and his horsemen walked out to the crowd and took in the destructive scene.

“What do we do now?” Psylocke, as known as Pestilence, asked. “We cannot afford to let Erik get away and-”  
“Patience, my dear friend. We will find him and make him join our mission.”  
“How?” Famine asked.  
“With Caliban’s help, we will track them down and expose Erik’s true fears. By the end of the day, Erik will be begging for our help. And like all favors, it will come with one price: his consent.” Apocalypse turned to the awakening soldiers and workers who were coming to on the ground. “Tisk tisk. Such a waste of air.” He looked over at his horsemen. “Kill them all.”  
With that, lighting emerged from Storm’s fingertips and kinetic energy flowed through Psylocke katana. They nodded to each other before conducting what would eventually be a massive slaughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm probably going to go back an edit this one. It's *looks at watch* one in the morning and my brain was probably not completely with it when I wrote this chapter :/
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of love??? Please feel free to write them in the comments :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)
> 
> P.S: What did you all think about the new Star Wars trailer?!?! Personally, I'm excited for a.) the practical effects b.) air battles and c.) Oscar Isaac. Poor Poe... being tortured like that :/


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Here's another (possibly lengthy) chapter!! It really explores Erik's background a lot more :)
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling errors and possible slight OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

Charles exited from Cerebro, Wanda and Hank patiently waiting outside in the hallway. When he approached Wanda, there was a look of confusion, hesitation and fascination written all over his face.  
“Wanda, darling, were you aware of your brother’s… tie with Erik Lehnsherr?”  
Her hopeful expression darkened. “Yeah, I am aware. In fact, our entire family was aware of the connection. Why?”  
“It’s just… I was able to gain access into Erik’s consciousness for a brief second and found out some fascinating things.”  
“Professor,” Hank began, “what are you talking about?”  
“Apparently Wanda Maximoff and her brother Peter are related to our former friend.”  
“Related? As in niece and nephew?”  
“Son and daughter, Hank.”  
Hank’s expression was comical. “I… I… how did we not see that when we had first encountered him? I thought you knew everything about him.”  
“His mind is stronger than I gave him credit for. He must’ve pushed those memories deep within his consciousness, making them inaccessible for me. Remember Hank, I was not aided by Cerebro at the time. Not to mention that Erik’s main priority was hunting down Shaw instead of on his kids.” He turned to Wanda. “I can sense that something is troubling you, dear. What’s the matter?”  
“Nothing! It’s just… I can’t help but wonder why he abandoned us.”  
“Do not take his actions personally, Wanda. After all, Erik does have a history of abandonment. In terms of your brother, it seems as though I cannot access his consciousness. There is some kind of barrier that is blocking me to reach him. However, by accessing Erik’s mind, I was still able to identify a few things about your brother’s condition.”  
“Is he okay?”  
“He’s in Poland and was living with Erik’s new family.”  
“New family? So he tosses one family aside in order to make a new one?! That bastard.”  
“Peter also had multiple scars and lacerations on his body which may have been caused by a number of operations, as well as experimentation practices.”  
“Experimentation? You mean to tell me that my own brother was tortured?!” As those words left her mouth, pink energy began to slowly consume Charles’ wheelchair, Hank’s glasses, and even Cerebro itself. “Because of Erik, my brother was tortured?!”  
“Calm down, Wanda,” Charles gently commanded both verbally and telepathically. “Based on what I saw in Erik’s mind, your brother is healing quite well. In fact, Erik and his family assisted him with that process. Please dear, you need to calm down.”  
After a few deep breaths, Wanda tamed her emotions and powers. “Is there anything else I need to know?”  
“Apparently… Peter thinks you are dead.”  
“What?”  
“I don’t know how, but I was able to visit one of Erik’s more recent memories and it appears that your brother believes that you, as well as your entire family, are dead.”  
“How is that possible?”  
“He must’ve had his mind manipulated,” Hank chimed in. “Which is odd, considering that a telepath can’t even touch his mind.”  
“Maybe the barrier was created by whoever experimented on him,” Charles deducted. “Because he’s immune to telepathy, he’s become a lot more stealthy and powerful.”  
Wanda stared at the two men with tears in her eyes. While Hank awkwardly put his arm around her shoulders, Charles wheeled himself closer to the upset mutant and gently rubbed her forearm.  
“Your brother is okay,” he gently said. “Erik made sure of that. You know, another concept that I picked up was how much love he has for your brother.” That caught Wanda’s attention. “Despite the bridge of time and pain that stands between himself and Peter, it is clear that your father-”  
“He’s not my father,” Wanda growled.  
“Fair enough. But my point is that he truly does care for Peter and his mind was tortured by his, in his own words, cowardliness to tell your brother the truth about his connection. I could feel genuine love and pride in his mind whenever he was near Peter. If he was in that kind of state around him, imagine his reaction when he meets you! Wanda, you are an incredibly gifted and bright pupil. I know for a fact that Erik would automatically shower you with the same genuine love he feels towards Peter.”  
“Still,” Wanda sniffed, “that doesn’t excuse all of the pain he’s put us through!”  
“Believe me, he felt the exact same way. But it seemed to me like he wanted to make efforts to get closer to the boy.” He sighed and looked back at Hank. “Well, I guess we should part ways for now. Thank you for your help, Hank.”  
“No problem-”  
“Professor! Hank!” Everyone turned to the voice and saw Scott Summers standing on the other side of the large corridor. “Did you guys see the news?!”  
“What’s the matter?” Hank called.  
“There was another massacre! This time in Poland!”  
Everybody’s blood ran cold. The trio exchanged looks of horror before making their way towards the living room where a few other students were gathered all around the television. The newscast explained how there have been a series of slaughters that have taken place all across Poland, the most recent one at a construction factory. This massacre was now the third one to take place in recent weeks and authority figures have begun to question the similarities between all of the events, as well as who could have possibly conducted them. Once the broadcast was over, everyone turned to Hank and Charles.  
“Do not worry, young students,” Charles exclaimed, somewhat distracted by the amount of worry and grief Wanda was silently projecting beside him.  
“What if they come after us next?!” one mutant said.  
“We all are freaks after all,” another said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if all of these killings were towards mutants.”  
“We need to be prepared,” a third projected.  
“Enough,” Charles gently commanded. “This school has the resources and allies needed to keep you all safe. If we do detect any kind of threat, we will notify you as soon as possible. For now, do not worry yourselves sick over events that are taking place on the other side of the world. Now off to all of your classes.”  
One by one, all of the students trickled out into the hallways, leaving the original trio staring at the television. Charles looked up at Wanda and sadly smiled at her.  
“He’s probably okay. After all, he is the fastest mutant I have ever seen.”  
“You said you couldn’t reach Peter’s mind,” Wanda suddenly started, pink energy forming around a coffee table. “Maybe it’s not because scientists made his mind inaccessible. Perhaps it’s because my brother is dead.”  
“Come now, Wanda, we cannot possibly know that for sure. Besides, like I said earlier, your father will protect him.”  
“That monster, Professor, is the reason my brother left us in the first place!! His arrogant actions and inability to own up to them costed me the person I care for the most!! If you ask me, Erik doesn’t give a damn about us. All he cares about is healing his guilty conscious so he can go back to doing what he does best: hurting others to get what he wants.”  
With that, Wanda stormed out of the room, obliterating the table in the process. Hank and Charles sighed before slowly following the other mutants out to the hallway.  
“Do you really think the kid is okay, Professor?”  
“Honestly, I have no idea. But I do know this; the love Erik felt for his son was real. Even if Peter can’t defend himself out there, I know for sure that Erik will aid him. After all, he isn’t completely heartless.”  
“Why do you keep defending him? After everything he’s done to the mutant race… to Raven… to you… why can’t you see him for what he truly is?”  
“Because all men have redeeming qualities, Hank. Sure he is an impulsive, arrogant man who refuses to see reality as a thing of beauty. But deep down there is a side to him that only appears when those he cares for are harmed. He’s expressed that side towards you, Raven, Peter, and myself on multiple occasions. He makes mistakes, Hank. It’s human to make mistakes.”  
“Yeah but at least we try to correct ours,” Hank mumbled. “I should go. I’ll talk to you soon, Professor.”  
When Hank walked away, Charles was left in a now empty foyer with his thoughts. To be honest, he never did understand why he kept brushing Erik’s actions aside. He never could understand why he kept defending a man who has hurt him on numerous occasions. To sum all of his emotions up: he could never comprehend his true feelings towards his former friend. But right now, after watching a news broadcast about slaughter taking place where Erik and his son were located, he couldn’t help himself when he silently pleaded for both of them to be okay.

Erik couldn’t breath: the sensation of traveling three-hundred and forty-three meters per second took his breath away (literally). All he could see were colors zooming past him. However, once he came to a sudden halt, he stumbled in a daze until he accidentally collided with a tree. He heavily leaned on the stem and swallowed the vomit that kept threatening to spill out of his mouth. He didn’t know how long he tried to regain his senses, but once he did, he was greeted with a concerned Peter staring back at him. Erik’s emotions quickly transitioned from confusion to betrayal.  
“All of this time you knew who I was.”  
“Last I checked, that’s not how you thank someone for saving your ass. But hey, whatever floats your ungrateful boat.”  
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me?!”  
“Could ask you the same thing, Magnet-O!”  
“What are you talking about? I was completely unaware of the connection.”  
“Bullshit. Now tell me the truth!!”  
Erik ran his hand through his hair and began to walk aimlessly in the forrest, Peter right behind him. “I have a family, Pie-Peter. Imagine what would have happened if I told them about my past. The consequences a reveal like that would have brought to them would have been devastating.”  
“Oh so now you give a shit about consequences.” He approached Erik. “You were more scared about being rejected than about their own well-beings. You wanted to keep this life going so you kept everything -- your mutation, your past and our connection -- a secret because you didn’t want them to abandon you like you did with me. Damn it, I should’ve told them everything. Then at least you would’ve known what it feels like to be betrayed and abandoned.”  
“Why are you so keen on destroying everything I’ve worked too hard for?!”  
“Because that’s what you did to me!!!” Peter shouted, grabbing Erik’s jacket in the process. “My family, my friends, my identity -- you took everything away from me!!!”  
Erik stared at his son, shock and regret in his eyes. He tried to process what had just been spilled but just couldn’t. All he could do was stare at his son, hoping that he would continue his rant so he could figure out what exactly was happening. Meanwhile, the clearly disappointed and furious runner continued to stare at Erik in the hopes that his words would finally sink into his oblivious mind. He didn’t care if he was being too dramatic or harsh; he needed to get his point to Erik’s head and make it stay there. After a bit, Peter slowly let go of Erik’s jacket and looked around the thick forest.  
“Come on Erik, we better get a move on if you want to make it back to your family before sunset.” He looked over at Erik and smirked. “What? You think I’d leave them exposed to that mutant’s wrath? Hate to break it to you but I’m not like you. I never have and I never will be like you.”  
“Pietro-”  
“Let’s go.”  
Peter stomped off, leaving behind a guilty and confused Erik behind. Sighing, Erik began to follow after his son. This walk was going to be interesting.

The walk was unbearably silent and tense. Whenever one looked at the other, the other would avoid their gaze and try to locate a tree they could stare at instead. Both of their minds were occupied with numerous thoughts relating to the other as well as themselves. Eventually, Peter silenced the silence.  
“Why’d you leave me? Come on, I deserve an answer after everything that’s happened.”  
“It’s more complicated than you could ever imagine.”  
“Well, lucky for you this forest isn’t getting anything thinner. Looks like we have a lot of time on our hands.”  
Erik pinched the bridge of his nose. “How about this: I’ll answer your question if you answer my question. Deal?”  
“What is it that you wanna know?”  
“Why did Weapon X take you?”  
“I already explained it to you at the bar.”  
“No, you merely hinted at the fact that your participation was due to my actions in some way. So, are we going to follow through with the deal?”  
Peter looked hesitant, but he finally agreed. “Fine. You go first.”  
Erik too in a deep breath before beginning his honest tale. “In all honesty… I did it to keep you safe.” Peter stopped walking and turned to face Erik. “Remember when I had told you about Sebastian Shaw? After I escaped Auschwitz before its liberation, I was unaware that Shaw had also managed to escape the camps in order to avoid persecution and charges of manslaughter. One night, I saw him walking on the streets of Transia. It just so happened that it was the same night that I had met your mother.” Erik, now in a state of nostalgia, leaned against a tree and stared upward at the blue sky. “Marya was beautiful, intelligent and accepting. She knew of my powers existence and neither feared nor resented me. During a time of self-reflection, your mother made me feel… important. She was the first woman I had ever met that loved me despite my inner and outer flaws. That night, we talked about everything: art, science and history to name a few. Her curiosity, compassion and beauty was captivating. Following our discussion, we ended up… you know.”  
“Yeah we can skip that part. So what happened next?”  
“After our… interaction, I planned on asking her out on an official date. But that was when I saw Shaw walking on the streets. When his eyes met mine… I could see the sadism and determination in his eyes. If he had gotten a hold of me that night, Marya’s life would’ve been cut short. Shaw is a man who was determined to see me suffer because he knew that it would unlock my powers. I couldn’t bear the thought of your mother getting hurt… so I left her.”  
“Just like that? You didn’t even try to explain what had happened to mom? You said that she was compassionate so I’m pretty sure she would’ve understood your situation.”  
“Her compassion and selflessness, as beautiful as it was, would’ve compromised her life. She was a good person and I knew that our exposed connection would’ve put her in great harm. I wanted to act as if I didn’t care for her so Shaw wouldn’t have gotten any ideas that I was happy. After all, he had taken every source of happiness from me in the past. What was to stop him from doing it again? A few months after I had left her… I found out that she had two kids: you and Wanda. And although my desire to see you three and explain myself was aching, I knew that my decision was for the best. I wanted to keep you all safe… even if it meant having to leave you all.”  
If Erik were telling the truth, Peter now considered himself as the biggest asshole in the world. And although Erik’s actions didn’t justify his more recent stunts, at least Peter could view the man with much more understanding and compassion. That feeling of betrayal and anger was still in him, but it was now number and more tamed.  
“So I’m guessing that Shaw’s dead. When’d you kill him?”  
“Why do you assume that I was the one who killed him?”  
“I don’t know. You just seem like a very angsty guy who gets shit done, no matter what. So when did you kill him?”  
“A while ago. His death to me was poetic justice.” He looked back at Peter. “But by the time of his demise, I had no idea where you or Marya were located. I didn’t have the time, resources and courage to locate Marya and you two. Even if I had made any effort to look for you, I knew that my relationship with you all would be exceptionally damaged.” Erik snorted. “I guess standing here right now only proves my theory. I knew you’d hate me the moment you’d realize who I was.”  
“Hate’s a strong word. Strongly dislike is more like it. Well, if you were telling the truth, then thanks. At least it helps me see you as not a complete asshole.” Peter tried to walk forward, but an invisible force gripped his backpack and pulled him backwards. “Uhhh, what’s going-”  
“Now it’s your turn. Explain to me, truthfully, why you were taken by Weapon X.”  
Peter swallowed, mentally bracing himself to relieve all of those painful memories. He considered running away, but he wanted to get Erik back to his family. He opened his mouth and was about to speak, when he saw small figures standing some distance away from him. He turned towards them and began to silently approach them with caution.  
“Peter! Do not think that you’re going to get out of our deal.”  
Ignoring Erik, the runner continued his slow trek towards the small group huddled a few feet away from them. Meanwhile, Erik himself was about to follow Peter but an all-too familiar voice made his heart stop.  
“Max.”  
The metal-bender slowly turned around and found himself staring into the green eyes of Magda Eisenhardt. Erik couldn’t speak; all of the memories, painful and beautiful, overwhelmed him. Her beautiful brunette hair, mysterious green eyes and captivating smile brought tears to his eyes.  
“Magda? How are you-… What are you-… I… I don’t…” A sniff. “I missed you so much.”  
Magda sadly smiled at him before reaching forward to cup his face, her thumb tenderly stroking his cheekbone. Erik leaned into the touch and closed his eyes, trying his hardest to control all of his emotions.  
“Our son is beautiful,” she whispered.  
Erik glanced over at Peter, whose gaze seemed to be locked onto something else outside of Erik’s line of view, and smiled. “He is something, I will give you that.”  
“Does he know about me?”  
“No.”  
“You should tell him. After all, he is your son and he has a right to know about who I am.”  
“I will tell him, eventually. Perhaps when we are not in the middle of the woods. I can’t believe you’re here, Magda,” he continued with a sad smile.  
The sound of a branch crunching caught Erik’s attention. He turned around and found himself standing in front of a group of Nazi soldiers, each one of them holding wooden weapons such as bow and arrows, knives and clubs. After he scanned each and every soldier, his eyes traveled down to the little girl standing right in front of bunch. Erik nearly collapsed in grief… and confusion.  
“Anya, moja piękna córka.”  
The little girl was no older than five. She as well had brunette hair, but it was much shorter than Magda’s. Her brown eyes almost perfectly matched Peter’s. Erik slowly approached the small figure and knelt down in front of her. He ran a gentle hand through her brown hair, earning him a pure smile. For a brief moment, his mind switched from Anya to Nina, causing him to pull his hand back.  
“Co się stało, tato?”  
“This can’t be real… I saw you die right in front of my eyes.” He stood up and looked at Magda. “You can’t be real either. This must be some cruel hallucination.” He look around the forest in order to find the perpetrator. “Whoever you are, enough of this!!”  
Erik looked back at Magda, only to find himself staring at a more ghostly version of her. The color and life in her eyes were gone, and were now completely white and cold. Frostbite and blisters from what Erik assumed was freezing temperatures slowly appeared on her once smooth skin. Frost covered her hair, eyelashes and clothes. As his mind struggled to process what was happening, the smell of burning flesh swept into his nostrils. Erik snapped his head to the source and nearly vomited at the sight. Anya -- his pure, innocent and appreciative little girl -- was now a burnt corpse. Her eyes, hair and clothes were completely incinerated. All of her skin melted off, revealing bone and muscle.  
“Enough!” Erik’s voice echoed through the forest. “You’ve had your fun, now end this charade at once!!”  
“E-Erik…”  
The distressed metal-bender looked behind him and saw Peter kneeling down on the dirt, a plastic gun pressed against the back of his head. Behind Peter were a few men and women in labcoats, their identities hidden by their surgical masks. However, the one face Erik instantly recognized was that of William Stryker. After all, he was the one holding the gun at Peter’s head.  
“It’s funny,” Stryker began, “how everything comes full circle. Think about it, freak. You took away Peter’s life… so in return, I’m going to take away yours.”  
“Get away from him!”  
“You failed to keep your own daughter safe.”  
“I didn’t fail Anya! Those men who blocked my path and who lit the motel on fire were responsible!!”  
“Those factors do not matter: you were her father, and there was so much more you could’ve done to protect her that night.” Stryker sighed and looked down at Peter, whose facial expression held more anticipation rather than fear. “I propose we conduct another experiment: what do you say folks?” The scientists behind him nodded. “You have three seconds to save your son.”  
“Impossible.”  
“If you succeed, then the reward is fairly obvious: you get to keep your son. If you fail… well, those results are also pretty obvious. Use your seconds wisely, Erik. Let the countdown begin! One…” Erik took off into a sprint, trying to conjure any metal he could pick sense. “Two…”  
“Dad…” As Peter’s whisper left his lips, Erik managed to levitate a metal hunting knife that was sitting in Peter’s backpack.  
“Three!”  
When Erik raised his hand to stab Stryker, the gun went off and Peter fell forward. Erik, in shock, dropped the knife, fell onto his knees and caught his son, pulling the limp body into a hug. When the metal-bender pulled away from Peter, the runner’s head instantly lolled on his chest.  
“Peter, can you hear me?! Peter?!”  
Erik cupped the back of Peter’s head to steady the lolling, only to feel blood completely coat his entire palm. “Pietro?” he whispered brokenly. “My little lion…”  
He was too late… again. Erik slowly lowered the body onto the ground, pushing strands of silver hair away from Peter’s closed eyes.   
“You failed him.” Erik snapped his head towards Magda, who stood completely still throughout the entire ordeal. “You failed our daughter… and now our son. My little babies are gone!!”  
Erik, overwhelmed by grief and rage, closed his eyes and let tears slowly fall down his face. Even if this was some kind of hallucination, the emotions were raw and real. Erik was officially invested in the devastation and grief. Meanwhile, as Erik kneeled above his son’s corpse, Stryker nodded his head at the group of Nazi soldiers, who continued to blankly stare at the scene in front of them.  
“Kill him,” Stryker ordered.  
When Erik felt a surprisingly gentle hand rest on his shoulder, his anger and despair got the best of him. He grabbed the discarded knife and blindly stabbed whoever was behind him. The yelp of pain was like music to his ears. When he turned around, he saw one of the Nazi guards lying on the ground with his hand pressed against the shoulder wound. Erik let out a monstrous snarl before raising the knife again, ready to kill. However, his eyes caught one of the guards aiming a wooden arrow directly at his face. He used his powers and sent it flying at the guard’s skull before he even released the arrow. Once the guard fell on the ground, Erik summoned the knife back to his hand, charged at Stryker and began to mercilessly stab the man.  
“You killed Pietro!!!” he yelled. “You took him away from me!!!” Erik didn’t care that blood was spurting from Stryker’s mouth. “You and your experiments costed me my son!! You filthy, unevolved monstrosities took my second child from me!”  
As Erik continued his brutal attack, he never noticed the remaining guards collapse bonelessly onto the ground before vanishing altogether. His eyes failed to pick up that Magda’s ghost, as well as Peter and Anya’s corpses, had begun to dissolve into nothingness. The doctors and scientists slowly morphed back into their original forms: trees. Erik was so blinded by rage that he didn’t even register that he was repeatedly stabbing a rotten trunk rather than an actual body. Eventually, his arms grew tired and his adrenaline began to fade. He let the knife fall from his limp fingers and began to repeat Peter and Anya’s names like a broken chant. He also began to continuously apologize to Magda, the love of his life that he failed. His mind was still unable to process the loss he had just endured in the hands of a human -- sadistic, unevolved, monstrous humans. The only thought that relentlessly attacked his mind and heart was that his son was now the second child he lost.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot from the back of his head, causing him to sink into oblivion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will clarify what just happened lol  
> I feel like I may have spoiled something for a future chapter... sorry about that :/ For those of you who either don't want to wait to identify/connect the spoiler, feel free to check out my first X-Men story (X-Men: Apocalypse). And for those of you who want to keep the spoiler a surprise, then feel free to... not look I guess lol I will warn you that the spoiler doesn't get fully developed/addressed until MUCH farther into the story!
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of love?? Please feel free to write them in the comments below :D I love reading them and they (usually) help me with understanding improvements/positives!
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Here's another chapter! It's VERY Peter/Erik centric and dialogue heavy!!
> 
> Remember: this is separate from "X-Men: Apocalypse" and it's sequel, which is currently being updated as well. This story has the same concept as the first story (Peter/Erik bond, Apocalypse & his Horsemen, battles, etc.), but now includes more "realistic" dialogue/character development, less background stories for secondary characters, and (hopefully) more evenly-paced action sequence. 
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling errors and possible slight OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

Apocalypse, Psylocke and Storm walked through the woods looking for their new recruit. Suddenly, Caliban, their latest recruit, limped back over to the trio. Dried blood caked the back of the mutant’s head and neck.  
“I see you have come back empty-handed, Caliban. Why is that?”  
There was something very unsettling about the calmness in Nur’s tone. “Caliban is very sorry, Master. Caliban could not reach other silver-mutant’s mind.”  
“What did you say?”  
“Caliban failed because he could not touch Peter’s mind, sir. Caliban thinks Peter’s mind was moving too fast in order to gain access. That mutant knocked Caliban against a tree and took Erik before Caliban could finish the job.”  
Apocalypse turned to his two horsemen. “Isn’t this an interesting development; a non-telepath immune to telepathy. This does complicate our original project, doesn’t it?”  
“What should we do?” Psylocke asked. “We cannot gain Erik’s loyalty without his son.”  
“Caliban, were you able to pinpoint what Erik’s fears are?” A nod. “Did they have something to do with Peter.”  
“Yes Master. Caliban made Erik think that Peter was dead and he went ballistic. Caliban thinks Erik’s fear is losing his family.”  
Apocalypse smiled. “Well it looks like we’re going to make that fear a reality. Give Erik a day to recover so his bond with Peter will grow. Then, when the time is right, we will tear both of their worlds apart.”  
“So what do you suppose we should do in the meantime, sir?”   
“Let’s take a little trip down to Germany and visit the man with wings, shall we?”

With a soft gasp, Erik jolted back to consciousness. The first thing he registered was that he was laying on something much softer than rocks and branches. He also felt a nice warmth covering his lower and upper half. Unfortunately, that warmth was quickly overpowered by a very wet and freezing item pressed against the back of his head. Without moving from where he laid, he reached for whatever was placed behind his head and realized that it was a melting ice pack. With a groan, Erik slowly sat up and discovered a couple of things: he was lying on a bed, blankets resting over his form, all alone in an unfamiliar room with a bloody ice pack laying on the pillow his head was resting on. As he scanned the room, he tried to piece together what exactly had happened and where he was. But then, after a few moments, the memories of his encounter in the woods flashed before his eyes. Seeing Magda and Anya, the Nazi soldiers, Stryker killing Peter -- all of those visions violently attacked him. His head began to throb and nausea began to overwhelm his senses. He quickly threw off the covers and stumbled to the bathroom where he fell onto his knees and dry-heaved over the semi-clean toilet. He stayed down there for who knows how long in order to tame the nausea and rid himself of the devastating events that occurred earlier.  
“You’re not a knocker, are you?”  
Erik snapped his head over to the sink where he saw Peter, alive and breathing. The metal-bender slowly stood up, his eyes glued to his son’s face, and stared at Peter with disbelief and relief.  
“Pietro?”  
“I’m not even going to correct you this time, old man.”  
Erik was too dumbstruck to process Peter’s words. Instead, he reached forward and cupped Peter’s neck, his thumb ever so slightly stroking the silver-haired mutant’s lobule. At first, Peter was extremely confused at this sudden act of affection. But he still went with it (and even began to embrace the gentle touch) because the act may have something to do with Erik’s unexpected outbursts back in the woods. Plus… he secretly liked the affection. Eventually, Erik let his hand fall back down.  
“You’re alive?”  
“No I’m a ghost,” Peter sarcastically shot back. “Of course I’m alive, man! Sheesh, I must’ve whacked you pretty hard back there. Sorry about that, by the way. You went insane and I kinda had to knock you out so you’d calm down.”  
Erik tried to smile, but he was still in shock over what he was seeing at the moment. His son was alive! Erik’s joy was short-lived when he noticed blood pouring from his son’s shoulder.  
“Jesus Christ! What the hell happened to you while I was out?” Erik asked while inspecting the damage.  
“Nothing! This beauty happened back in the woods.”  
“Who did this to you?”  
“You did…”  
Erik froze. “What? I did this to you? I… I don’t remember-”  
“Well, considering that you were going guano at the time, I’m not really surprised by that fact. You mind helping me out with this?”  
The metal-bender nodded and motioned for his son to sit on the toilet seat. While Peter was situating himself, Erik summoned a metal first-aid kit that was resting on the sink into his hands. He opened the box up and grabbed everything he needed to stitch up the wound. As he kneeled on the tile-floor, Erik discovered that there was a much smaller exit wound on the other side of Peter’s shoulder. He looked over at the runner, who simply smirked.  
“It was a pretty big knife.”  
“Where on earth did you even get that?”  
“Apparently that hardware store we went to awhile back sold them. I grabbed one before I saved your ass.”  
“Take your shirt off,” Erik said while preparing the needle. “I need to stitch the wounds without having cloth block my view.”  
Peter gingerly peeled off the grey shirt he was wearing, biting his lips in order to prevent himself from yelling in pain. Once it was finally off, Erik quickly got to work in stitching the larger wound that was on the front of his shoulder. Peter either hissed in pain or cursed in Romani whenever the needle entered his flesh.  
“Sorry I’m being a wimp,” he gritted out. “It’s funny… for five years I’ve been torn open and stitched back up like a scarecrow. I’m surprised I’m not immune to the pain.”  
“It is normal for your body to still feel pain, Peter, no matter how long you have endured it.”  
“Guess you have a point. You’re pretty sharp with a needle. You sew? Were you a sewer?”  
“Occasionally, I would help my mother patch up a hole or two. But many years of combat have helped me perfect my skills.” A beat. “Do you mind telling me what exactly happened back there?”  
“Honestly… I have no idea. I went to check something out for a minute or two and when I came back you were ballistic. What made you go all Terminator on a rotten trunk?” A beat. “Did you, I don’t know, see anybody you knew? Like family members?”  
Erik briefly stopped his work and looked at Peter. “How did you know?”  
“The reason I kinda ditched you was because I saw my mom… and Wanda and Lorna.” Peter couldn’t help but smile at the memory. “I saw my family again, alive and happy. I knew it had to be a hallucination -- they’re all dead after all -- but it felt so real. Their smell, their touch, their smiles -- it was hard not to buy into whatever I was seeing. But then they began to flicker like bad television reception, you know? By the time I realized what was happening, I turned back around and saw you holding a branch, so I went to see if you were okay.” Peter smirked. “First Pietro, now little lion? What other irrelevant nicknames do you have for me?” Erik felt himself blush with embarrassment but he still continued his work, now avoiding Peter’s curious and amused gaze. “I was about to snap you out of whatever thing you were under, but then you suddenly summoned the knife from my bag and… well, you know the rest.” So much guilt radiated off of Erik that even Peter himself could sense it. “Hey man, it’s no big deal. Well I mean, it is kinda a big deal considering that you stabbed your own kid. But hey, I could be dead! You could’ve stabbed me in the chest, skull, eye, stomach… actually, you nearly did stab me in the stomach. Boy oh boy, I nearly shit my-”  
“Two things: you’re not really helping my mood and please slow down when you speak.”  
“It could have been worse,” Pietro responded, his words purposefully drawn out much to Erik’s annoyance. “Anyway, while you were murdering an already dead tree, I saw a silver mutant staring at us a mile or so away. Enhanced senses; gotta love that. That mutant was staring directly at you so I thought that he was the one making you lose your shit. I think he was a telepath.”  
“Really?” Erik asked while finishing the last stitch on the front. “How could you tell?”  
“Because when I approached him I got a nasty headache. One of the modifications Weapon X gave me is the ability to block telepaths.” Erik gave Peter a surprised look. “Hey, they wanted to make sure that their weapons wouldn’t be held back by mutants or humans. When I first arrived, they said my mind already moved pretty fast, so they just enhanced it so that I would become immune to telepathic attacks. Headaches come whenever a telepath uses all of their energy and abilities against me.”  
“That would explain why the visions of your family began to flicker. That mutant must’ve been struggling to hold onto your consciousness.”   
He cut off the leftover string, sterilized the needle again, and moved to Peter’s back. As he did so, Erik couldn’t help but stare down at all of the marks that littered his son’s body. Just the thought of what Weapon X did for five years made his stomach turn. Which reminded him-  
“Thankfully, this one will only require a stitch or two. Nothing serious at all.” He began his work. “You never held up your end of our bargain.” Erik could hear Peter swallow in fear. “I will neither pity nor criticize you. I just want to know why Weapon X decided to recruit you.”  
“... I’ll tell you once you’ve finished wrapping up my shoulder.”  
Erik sighed before completing Peter’s demand. He made quick work of cleaning the stitches, taping on patches and tightly securing all of his work with a long bandage. When he was done, Erik told Peter to go sit on the bed and put on a new shirt, while he cleaned up all of the blood. Erik flushed all of the bloody items down the toilet and washed his hands with rubbing alcohol, soap and warm water. Once he was sure that he didn’t leave a single trace of blood lying around, he made his way over to Peter and sat down on a chair across from the bed. He tossed Peter an orange he snatched from a fruit bowl.

“You lost a bit a blood and I don’t want you passing out on me. Eat that.” The runner peeled off the skin and took a bite, embracing the sweet juice that came from the fruit. “Well? Are you ready to hold up your end of the deal?”  
Peter sighed in defeat before beginning the story. “Remember when we were talking about consequences and actions? Well… my case is basically the prime example of that. After your sentinel attack on The White House, people began to look at mutants in a different light. Everybody became resentful or afraid of us. Because Wanda never used her powers in public, unless it was extreme emergency, nobody really detected her mutation. Lorna didn’t have any powers, at least to my knowledge. Myself? I was cocky and used my powers almost everywhere I went. Even if I didn’t run, I was able to find solutions faster than anyone else in the class. I even got an engineering award because of that. But once you came along and did your whole thing, everyone hated me. They either hated that I ‘had an advantage over everyone else’ or hated what ‘my kind did to this world’. I didn’t apply to college-”  
“Because you feared they would reject you?”  
“-because I was afraid that while I was gone my family would get hurt. I needed to protect them.” Peter snorted. “Look how that fucking turned out. Then five years ago, while I was with my family at home, there was a knock on the door. It was the United States government bearing news that I shared similar genetics with Erik Lehnsherr -- mutant advocate, wanted terrorist, and murderer. Wanda never did a bad thing in her life, and because of that, the government didn’t have a record of her. But because I was an arrogant asshole, the police and apparently government had my file for a while. They told me that because of my ties with you, as well as my criminal record, I had two options: either spend a good chunk of my life in prison or assist the government. No matter what I choose, I was told that I wouldn’t see my family for a very long time.” He sadly looked at Erik. “Saying goodbye to my family was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But if leaving them kept them safe, then I would’ve been more than happy to walk away and never turn back. So… in exchange for my participation in the government’s ‘missions’, I was guaranteed security for my family. When I arrived at Weapon X, I realized that their ‘mission’ was to study and experiment on mutants like myself in order to create obedient, living weapons. Because I not only possessed speed, but also similar genetics as yours, they were especially interested in me. They thought they could unlock the same amount of power you have through experiments. But as time went by, they began to see me not as ‘the terrorist’s son’, but as an individual with unique powers that could be harnessed. They exposed my strengths and weaknesses, and tried to create mediums that would control them.” As Peter began to trail off, his hands unconsciously squeezed the orange too tight, sticky juice trickling between his fingers and dripping onto the carpet. “Because of you, they took my family and killed them to unlock the ‘monster’ inside me… I lost everything.”  
Erik stared at his hands, unable to meet Peter’s hurt eyes. “I… I’m so sorry.”  
“No you’re not,” Peter shot back. “You’re just sorry because someone finally had the balls to out you and your actions. Admit it, you don’t care about me or what I’ve been through. The only reason you want to talk to me is so you can clean your guilty conscious.”  
“That’s not true.”  
“If you really cared about me you never would’ve left me to begin with! Even with Shaw hunting you down, Marya could’ve still worked something out with you. Long distant relationship, calls, letters -- there were so many options on the table yet you decided to take the easy way out and ditch her without a single explanation.”  
“If you knew who Shaw truly was and the powers he possessed, you’d realize that any relationship with Marya whatsoever would’ve sealed her fate, as well as your own. I left you to ensure your safety. Look, I understand the pain you’ve had to endure in and out of Weapon X an-”  
“Prove it. Don’t just tell me that you understand… actually prove it to me.” Erik stared at his son for a few moments before standing up and lifting off his white t-shirt. “Uhh Erik? What are you doing? Do you have some kind of father/son complex going on or-”  
Peter was about to continue talking but the sight of Erik’s damaged back silenced him. Just like his own, Peter saw that Erik’s entire back was covered in scars, some more fresh than others. Erik told Peter about his times in the camps, but seeing the damage itself gave Peter a whole new perspective. It also made him feel like an asshole. Eventually, Erik put his shirt back on and sat right beside Peter on the bed.  
“Having personal rights stripped from you -- your identity, dignity and freedom-- is a feeling I’m all too familiar with. Being tortured and ridiculed for who I am -- a Jew, a mutant, an activist -- is one thing. But being forcefully stripped of those I love because of what I identify myself as? That’s the worst pain I’ve ever endured and I refused to live through that again. I left you because I thought you would be safe from people like Shaw and Stryker. You left your family believing that government officials would protect them. But in the end, it seems like both of our efforts have failed. Peter, I am not here to give you a ‘we’re not so different, you and I’ speech. But I do want you to know that I’ve experienced similar pain as yours and that I’m here for you if you ever want to talk.” Erik studied Peter’s expression. “There’s something else bothering you.” Erik could see tears pooling up in Peter’s dark eyes. “Are you-”  
Suddenly, without any warning, Peter stood up and threw the crushed orange against the opposite wall, causing it to land in the trashcan. When he sat back down, he missed the mattress and ended up sitting on the floor. Peter tried to cover up his emotions by offering Erik a fist-bump for the "awesome shot", but Erik simply stared down at the mutant before following his descent onto the floor. It was only at that moment that Peter buried his face in his hands: one burnt and the other sticky.  
“You feel guilty about their deaths, don’t you? Peter, there’s nothing you could have done in order to-”  
“I could’ve gone to prison.”  
“Which is owned and facilitated by government agencies. No matter what path you choose, in the end, you would have always ended up back at Weapon X.”  
“There were enhancements inside of me when they died. I could’ve put them to actual use! But instead I let my entire family down. They’re all gone because of me.” Peter finally looked at Erik. “I was suppose to protect them. After everything they’ve done for me, it’s the least I could do. My family never abandoned me when things got tough. They loved me unconditionally and always supported whatever I did… except the shoplifting part. They loved me and accepted me for who I was. And how do I thank them?”  
“By leaving them in hopes that it will ensure their safety. By being a big brother to Lorna and Wanda. By returning the love they gave you. Based on what you have told me these last few weeks, it seems clear to me that you really cherished them and would’ve done anything for them.”  
“Still… it hurts knowing that I could’ve done more.”  
Erik, who was taking in Peter’s sad look of despondency, prepared himself for what was about to happen next. “Right before you knocked me unconscious, did you hear me say any names?”  
“Well you kept saying my name over and over again… but you also mentioned two others: Magda and Anya. Who are they? Why’d you keep chanting my name over and over again? Why’d you say that I was the second child taken from you? Why’d you call me little lion? What-”  
“There are only so many questions my mind can process, Peter.” Erik inhaled and exhaled. “Magda was… a very special woman in my life. We were childhood friends and I had eventually fallen in love with her. Her external and internal beauty was truly captivating and unique. But when the Nazi’s invaded, we were seperated. It was only after my family’s demise, and my own experimentation, in Auschwitz where I reunited with her. What amazed me about her was how much hope and life she still had despite those horrid conditions. Seeing her fueled hope inside of me and inspired me to protect her with all of my being. When the war ended, the Germans tried to eradicate the camp. All of the surviving men and women were going to be shot and burned by the end of the day. I managed to escape the camp with her and we ran East. We managed to start a life together after World War II ended. We married and… ended having our first child together.”  
“Anya,” Peter concluded. “So I wasn’t your first? All this time you had another kid? Is there anything else you’re hiding from me?”  
“Plenty. I’m sure you hold your secrets too and I won’t pressure you to reveal them. I do hope that you won’t pressure me as well.”  
“I won’t. What was Anya like?”  
“Anya was… pure. She held so much curiosity, innocence and love in her heart that she made anyone who came across her smile. Both of them gave me so much purpose in life.”  
“Was Anya like us?”  
“A mutant? No, which could be considered a blessing rather than a curse. Seeing how mutants have always been treated like rats, I’m glad that she was able to roam freely without fearing for her life. Eventually, we moved to Vinnitsa in Ukraine so I could become an engineer. I wanted to be able to provide for both of them and keep them happy.”  
“So what happened?”  
“The first day there, I had gotten a small job working as a metal-wielder. The pay rate was horrid and I demanded for a little bit more money to help feed my family. When they refused, I let my arrogance and anger get the best of me, and ended up using my powers against my boss. It was the first time I’d used my powers in public.. and people were horrified. That night the inn my family was staying in caught on fire because humans had discovered what I was. They lit the place I was staying at on fire, hoping that I was in there and that I would perish.” Erik closed his eyes at the incoming memories. “I wasn’t in the inn at the time. Anya was. I arrived there to see her trapped in our room, which was slowly being consumed in flames. Magda tried to run into the inn to save her, but I managed to stop her with my powers. The police saw what I had done, assumed that I was the true monster in the situation, and attacked me. No matter how much I fought and begged, the townspeople and police wouldn’t let me save my daughter.” He moved slightly closer to Pietro. “I watched my little baby girl, consumed in flames, jump from three-stories as a last ditch effort to save herself because her father couldn’t. I watched my little girl die right in front of me and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. In a fit of rage, I accidentally killed the policemen who were detaining me, as well as a mob that was beginning to form around the inn. Magda had no prior knowledge as to who I really was, so when she saw me use my powers, she was horrified. Then she took off into the night and I never saw her again. I lost my second family in one night all because of what I am.” Erik looked at Peter, who looked more angry than sad. “The reason I’m telling you all of this is because I know that feeling of powerlessness when it comes to protecting the ones you love. We believe that we can save anyone if we just put our minds and energy to it. But sometimes life doesn’t let us become the hero. Anya’s death, just like your family’s, was out of my control. And although that does not numb to pain and guilt I feel every day, it does remind me that I’m not all powerful and that I don’t have total control over life and its inhabitants. Peter, do you-”  
“I hate them,” Peter said tightly. “Those arrogant, selfish assholes who think they’re better than us. All they do is shit on those who are different. They judge, hate, kill, control and repeat. They think we’re the un-evolved ones and yet here they are killing everyone they don’t know shit about or who they think are threats to their power. They take everything away from those who have nothing!”  
Peter could feel a couple of tears sliding down his cheek, so he hastily wiped them off before Erik could comment on them. The metal-bender watched Peter unravel, not wanting to intervene unless given permission. Sometimes it’s better to sit and listen than say anything at all. He looked down and saw his son’s hands shaking either out of anger, shock, or sadness. Erik wordlessly rubbed the runner’s arms in an attempt to comfort the upset mutant. Peter was so overwhelmed by the stories Erik shared, as well as his own losses, that he nearly crumbled when Erik touched him. Without his permission, he found himself swallowing sobs and trying to suppress tears. Erik could see just how hard all of these stories and traumatic events were hitting Peter, so he wrapped his arm around Peter’s shoulders and pulled him into a side hug. To his surprise, Peter actually submitted to the pull and even went so far as to bury his face in Erik’s chest in an attempt to silence the sobs and tears. Eventually, the side hug morphed into an actual hug, with Erik kneeling down in front of Peter and wrapping both of his arms around the smaller frame. He tucked Peter’s head under his chin and began to whisper words of comfort.  
"Everything is okay, Pietro. Hush now. You'll be okay. I've got you."  
"How do you do it?” Peter asked. “After everything you've been through, how do you get up every morning?”  
“I find the strength to bounce back every morning by remembering just how much injustice there is towards mutants, by knowing that my family is safe, and by anticipating the beauty and mysteries of life. The world may be cruel, but it also holds so much beauty that I want my loved ones, plus all of our brothers and sisters, to witness.” Erik pulled Peter away so that he would meet his eyes. “Ești puternic, Pietro," he continued in Romani. "Ai indurat tortura și pierdere, dar încă mai menține calitati, cum ar fi sarcasm, - gândire rapidă, și compasiune. Încă ești, în ciuda fiind martorul unor evenimente oribile. Știu că, cu timpul, vei vindeca. Veți afla cum de a controla furia și durerea, și ao transforma în ceva frumos.”  
Peter nodded before hastily wiping away some tears. “Eu pot vedea acum de ce ai fost atât de dornici de pe protejarea familia ta din lume mutant. Îmi pare rău pentru tot ce ai trecut. Nu contează cât de cineva bun sau rău este, ei nu merită să sufere așa. Cred că nu suntem atât de diferite, tu și eu.”  
“Nu nu suntem,” Erik replied with a smile. “Tu ar trebui să revină pentru un pic. Având în vedere că a trebuit să mă trage aici, în timp ce răniți, și deschis despre familia ta, aș spune că ești, probabil, epuizat fizic si emotional. Voi curăța totul.”  
Peter nodded before placing himself onto the mattress Erik was occupying an hour ago. He handed Erik the bloody ice pack, replaced the pillow with a dryer one, and began to drift off.  
“I miss them so much,” Peter mumbled before falling asleep.  
“I know,” Erik replied, his mind drifting to Anya and Magda. “I miss them too.”

The metal-bender stared down at his sleeping son for a few seconds before making his way towards the doorway that led him outside. However, right when he placed his hand on the doorknob, he heard an all-too familiar voice.  
“Hello Erik. It’s been quite some time since we've chatted like this.”  
The mutant slowly turned back around and found himself staring at- “Charles.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have our first Erik/Charles moment :D Or is he really Charles?? *evil giggle*
> 
> Obviously I stole parts/lines from my first story and here's why: they not only represent the depth and complexity of Peter/Erik's relationship, but they also got a lot of positive feedback, which is why I want to recycle elements from the first story into this story! *whispers* I LOVED writing Baby Peter interacting with Erik <3 So I MAAAYYY end up recycling that part ;)
> 
> *Update* Google translate sucks lol Taci acum means "hush now", not "shut up" xD From now on, I will probably include translations!!
> 
> The next chapter will still be kinda fluffy, but then things will REALLY pick up for both Erik, Peter, Charles and Apocalypse ;)
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of love?? Please feel free to leave 'em in the comments :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Here's another chapter!!! It may seem a bit rushed and I'm sorry about that :/ It's just that the next chapter will have a lot of stuff going on for both Peter, Erik, Apocalypse and the others back at the mansion. I just wanted to set the scene for everyone in this chapter :)
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling Errors and possible OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

“This must be another hallucination.”  
“Believe me, Erik, it’s not.”  
“Then why, after all of these years, do you suddenly decide to check in on me?”  
“If you hadn’t noticed, there have been a series of bloodbaths taking place all over Europe, most recently Poland. Forgive me if I wanted to see how you fare.”  
A pinch of guilt hit Erik. “I’m surprised that after all of these years you still remember me.”  
“I could say the exact same thing to you.” A beat. “I had no idea that you were a father.”  
“There’s a reason as to why that is, Charles. If you hadn’t noticed, people I care for always get hurt whenever I try to become a part of their lives.”  
“That’s not true, Erik.”  
“Well that’s what happened between you and I.” Silence. “I kept the existence of my son out of your grasp in order to protect him. Although, seeing the state he is in now, it seems as though my attempts have failed.”  
“Weapon X,” Charles concluded.  
The telepath, who was situated in Cerebro at the moment, couldn’t really comfort his friend. He knew that Peter’s capture was, in fact, on Erik. Lying to the metal-bender in order to comfort him wouldn’t be doing anyone favors… in fact, it could only make things worse. So he decided to transition into a related topic.  
“You know his sister is very worried about him. When I told her about Peter’s torture I-”  
“Wait… she’s alive? Which one?”  
“Both of them! Wanda is currently a student enrolled at my school and Lorna, last I checked, is actually seeing a former student of ours.”  
“Former stu-”  
“Alex Summers, Erik.”  
Erik, shocked by the revelation, turned his head back to the sleeping form on the bed, whose back was now facing him. The metal-bender slowly made his way back onto the bed and sat on the thin mattress, his eyes never straying from Peter. Charles briefly touched his mind and uncovered what Erik was thinking.  
“So, my friend, what exactly were you planning to do once you inform Peter of his family’s state?” Erik still stared at his son, his eyes holding a more forlorn look. “He deserves to know-”  
“I bloody know that, Charles!” Erik accidentally snapped. “I’m sorry… After everything he’s been through, whose to say that danger won’t follow him back to the mansion? He may be fast and enhanced, but he isn’t immortal. Plus, Weapon X could possibly have highly technological machines and tools that could track him down and lead them straight to you, him and your students. And aren’t you a man who cares about his student’s well-being more than his own?”  
Charles couldn’t help but think that Erik’s words were mocking and criticizing his morals. For a few brief moments, the telepath believed that Erik was actually concerned about his well-being after nearly twenty years of emotional (and occasionally physical) abuse and silence. However, his assumptions quickly dissolved and focused his mind on penetrating the darkness within Erik’s mind and heart. In the end, he came up with-  
“Your fear isn’t all directed towards his well-being… it also relates to your own personal fear of being alone.”  
“That’s not true and you know it.”  
“My statement came out wrong. You told me earlier that the people you care for usually suffer because of their ties with you. You like having your son by your side not only because you enjoy his presences and stories, but also because you’re there to protect him if things were to go wrong. I know you won’t follow him back here because of the new family that you have and that’s completely understandable. However, you shouldn’t deprive Peter of his family just because you’re afraid of losing yours.”  
Erik’s eyes continued to stare at Peter. “He’s my son… neither time nor distance will ever stop me from worrying about him. No matter how many years have passed without us acknowledging each other’s existence, he’s my responsibility. What Weapon X did to him infuriates me not only because of their practices and ideologies, but because I was responsible for Peter’s suffering and failed to retrieve him in time to spare him from the pain.”  
“He’s nearly twenty-six years old.”  
Erik finally looks at Charles’ projection. “Age should not stop family from caring about each other, old friend. My concern and love for my son mirrors your feelings towards Raven, someone you consider a sister. Why should I be scolded for caring about my son when you yourself share similar feelings towards her?” He could see Charles reflecting on his words. “I’ll inform Peter about the development and we, not you, will take things from there. My family, just like your school, is sacred and it’s none of our business to poke into each other’s personal values.”  
“My apologies, Erik. I did not mean to come off as intrusive or controlling. I was merely suggesting that-”  
“I let go of my son? I care about his happiness and well-being, but you worrying over him does not do anyone any favors.”  
“Who said I was only worried about him?”  
There was a deafening silence that hung in the air, giving the pair time to reflect on the words spoken. It was clear that both of them, after all of these years apart, still cared for each other’s well-being, which actually solidified Erik’s point. Erik’s criticism of Charles’ selfless nature, plus Charles’ theory of Erik’s fear of losing Peter, were just some of the many examples that indicated that their friendship, as damaged as it was, still had some fuel left. Eventually, Erik switched the topic.  
“Have you seen Raven since the White House incident?”  
“No I haven’t… but I don’t doubt her inner and outer strength. I’m sure that she’s thriving wherever she is.”  
“And what about you? How is the school?”  
“It’s… overwhelming at times, but seeing people like us all gathered in a safe place brings joy to my heart. Peter and Raven would like it here… so would you.”  
“My place is in Poland with my family. But who knows, maybe fate will give us the opportunity to reunite and play a round of chess together.”  
Charles smirked. “Maybe fate will bring us all back together. Well, I better get going. Hank is informing me of someone’s arrival and he sounds pretty excited. Then again, Hank is excited about almost everything. Keep in touch, okay?”  
“I will if you will. Goodbye Charles”  
“Goodbye… my friend.”  
With that, Charles vanished into thin air, leaving Erik alone with Peter, who was beginning to “wake up”. And when I say “wake up”, I mean that the runner had heard every word of the conversation and was now pretending to just come out of sleep. When his dark eyes met Erik’s blue ones, Peter couldn’t help but smile: the genuine concern and love Erik felt for him touched his heart in ways he couldn’t really comprehend.  
“What’d I miss?” he asked with a fake yawn.  
“Are your naps usually this short?”  
“It’s been five minutes, dude. Five minutes is like five hours for me. So, did anything interesting happen while I was asleep? Did you rob any stores or drop cars onto buildings?”  
Erik, with sadness and slight excitement in his eyes, took a deep breath and revealed the news. “I was talking to an old friend of mine who just happens to be a telepath in New York.”  
“So?”  
“He’s informed me that both your sisters are alive.”

Charles exited Cerebro, a warm smile plastered onto his face, when he heard an all-too familiar voice.  
“Hey Charles. Nice to see that you’ve cleaned yourself up.”  
When he looked up, he was greeted by Raven’s captivating blue eyes. Her hair was much shorter and was now curly instead of straight. Unlike the last time he had seen in, there was more warmth in her eyes rather than crushing resentment. Hank was standing right behind her, his own blue eyes refusing to leave Raven’s form.  
“R-Raven… what are you doing here?”  
“That’s a nice way to greet your sister.” Her tone became more serious. “We need to talk.”

An infuriated Warren Worthington III limped off the cage and headed to the locker room. As he made his way to his destination, beneath the deafening applause directed towards a guy named Wolverine, Warren could pick up disgusting looks and whispers of pity that were directed towards him. Every insult and every look directed towards him made the winged mutant want to toss them into the fighting ring and see how they’d enjoy the wrath of Angel. He suddenly felt a plastic chair hit him right on his back. Warren picked up the chair and flew up into the air, his eyes quickly scanning the crowd hidden by darkness.  
“It seems as if the loser, Angel, wants to put on some kind of circus performance!” the flamboyant announcer said to the audience. “Perhaps that freak missed his calling!! He seems more fit to be a flying monkey than a fighter!”  
The men and women surrounding the fighting cage let out a roar of laughter and applause, making Warren blush with embarrassment. However, his shame quickly melted into rage. Warren flew back into the ring that he had just fought in a few minutes ago, tossed the chair directly at the announcer, and then lifted him up as high as he could. Once his wings were touching the moldy ceiling, Warren’s blue eyes glared at the announcer. He tossed the man against the cage wall and let him free fall in the air for a few seconds before swooping back down to grab the announcer. Once he caught the man, Angel threw him against the cage before flying him back up into the air. He continued to beat and throw the announcer. By the time Warren was finished, the announcer was as bloody as he was.  
“I’m not a flying monkey made for your entertainment!” he gritted out.  
With a smirk, Warren simply let go of the man and let him fall nearly three stories down. The announcer landed on the floor with a sickening crack. His yell of pain silenced the whole audience, leaving the flutter of wings flapping downwards now audible. When Warren landed, he folded up his wings and stomped on both of the man’s broken legs.  
“Mutants were not put on this Earth to be tamed by humans,” he growled before addressing the audience. “Anyone else want to have a go at it, huh?! You all mock me for losing yet I bet none of you could last a single fight against a mutant like me!!! So come on, you unevolved cavemen, prove your strength and fight me!!” Nobody made a move to respond or accept his challenge. “That’s what I thought.”  
Warren glanced over at the man named Wolverine. The hairy mutant, who was smoking his fifth cigar, nodded to his opponent in appreciation and respect. And then, both mutant departed: one heading towards the isolated locker room and the other towards a man in a military uniform.

Warren, now standing in the ghost-like locker room, stood in front of the broken mirror and stared at himself, taking in the cuts and bruises he received during his battle. He went from being a circus performer to an underground fighter. While both occupations seemed quite different from each other, there was one aspect that had remained the same since his transition: he was always seen as a flying monkey made for the entertainment of others. He joined to circus because he actually wanted to entertain little children in the hopes that they would see mutants as friends rather than monsters. But once their parents began to mock him, Angel decided that he didn’t want to be at the mercy of inaccurate insults and stereotypes. So he quite the circus and entered the world of illegal underground fighting. This occupation made him a lot of money and has actually earned him some respect, which he honestly quite enjoyed. But today, during the Annual International Freak Show Fighting Match, his competition was much more well-trained and also happened to be a mutant himself. Wolverine didn’t have wings, but he did have a couple of enhancements that put him far ahead of Warren: healing ability, enhanced agility and speed, and adamantium claws. It was odd that the man had adamantium, a human-created element, when that element has never been found in any mutant alive today. Perhaps Wolverine’s sponsors cheated and injected steroid-like substances into their fighter in order to win the money and the fight. Anger surged through Angel’s body at the thought and he punched the already broken mirror and watched it shatter onto the ground.  
“Such anger in your heart, young man.”  
The fighter turned around and found himself staring at a blue and grey mutant wearing a helmet that had a lot of metal tubs sticking from it. Behind the tall mutant stood two others: one with white hair and another with purple hair. Apocalypse reached forward and began to stroke a couple of Angel’s feathers with his fingertips.  
“I watched your fight from afar and I must say that you hold some divine abilities. However, it seems as though science became the ultimate victor of the fight. Humans, of course, felt to need to cheat in order to continue their dominance on mutants like ourselves. Warren, I’ve-”  
“How do you know my name? What the hell do you want?”  
“I want to liberate you from the shackles of human dominance. They believe that our existence is merely for theirs to control. They believe that we were put onto this Earth to obey their commands without question, hesitation, or rebellion.” Apocalypse approached Angel until he was face to face with him. “Throughout my centuries of existence, I have been subjected to watch my brothers and sisters compromise their powers and values to conform with mankind, a naive and inferior species blinded by their arrogance and dominance. I wonder, however, what would happen to the human race if our kind rebelled against their set of rules. I wonder what would happen if we fully exposed our potential. The power you possess with these beautiful wings are impressive, but what if I told you that I could make your wings even better?”  
Warren leaned against the sink, now interested in what the other mutant was saying. “Go on.”  
“I possess some rare powers that will give you the ability to transcend the boundaries society has set up for you. With my help, we can not only liberate ourselves from persecution and oppression, but also receive gifts that will show all of your owners the power and rage you truly possess.”  
“I’m guessing you want something in return?”  
“Yes I do, in fact. I will need your loyalty for the next few weeks. If you agree to work for me, I will give you wings more deadlier and powerful than you and others could ever imagine. Warren, you hold the mental and physical strength needed to liberate our kind from human arrogance and oppression. My friends behind me have shared similar views as well and have agreed to assist me with my goals. Warren, I need your help. In exchange for your assistance, I will free us all from the human grasp and will give you powers that will silence the insults and mocking. I will give us all a chance to be free.”  
Warren starred at the blue mutant with interest. Silencing his oppressors and breaking free from conformity. He liked the sound of that. He wouldn’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore. The only rules he’d abide to are his own. He’d become his own master. However, before he agreed to do anything, he just had to ask one question.  
“Who are you?”  
The blue mutant smirked. “My name is En Sabah Nur, Archangel, and I’m here to liberate the mutant race.”

One day after the forrest ambush, Peter and Erik found themselves driving back towards Erik’s home. They both agreed that they would part ways there. However, the car ride to his place was unbearably silent not because of anger or shame, but because of revelations. Erik and Peter were silently reflecting on the words they’d heard in the motel. Because of what they had heard, both men were slightly reluctant to leave each other because of fear and love.  
“Sooo,” Peter awkwardly began while keeping his eyes on the road, “what are you going to do once I’m gone?”  
“Stay with my family. You?”  
“Find my family and hopefully stay with them too.” After a few hesitant moments, Peter glanced over at Erik. “Thanks for telling me about Wanda and Lorna.”  
“What good would lying do to both you and I?”  
Peter shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know… knowing you, I’d assume that lying was, like, your second nature or whatever. So thanks for that.” A beat. “Also thanks for giving a shit about me.”  
Erik gave Peter a shocked look. “Why on Earth would you think that I wouldn’t care about you?”  
“The fact that we’ve spent twenty-five years apart from each other may have something to do with that. Plus… I’m a mutant. I just figured that you’d only see me as another pitiful ally you felt obligated to liberate. But hey, I’m sure that once we’re away from each other you’ll forget all about me.” After a few moments of silence, Erik used his powers to force the car to a stop, much to Peter’s confusion. “What are you doing?”  
“Did you really believe that I would view my own son as another faceless mutant?” A nod was his response. “Pietro, I value my family more than I value the entire mutant race. I knew who you were the moment I laid my eyes on you… I identified my own son after spending nearly twenty-six years apart. You hold so much importance in my heart and nothing will ever stop me from caring about you.”  
Peter, who was now facing Erik, sat in silence. If he were to be completely honest, the main reason Peter was afraid of leaving Erik was because he feared of being forgotten about. The silver-haired mutant had come to really respect and admire the metal-bender not because of the fact that Erik was his father, but because of the amount of inner and outer strength he possessed. His father had been tortured for years, yet he still refused to give into society's plans. And even with his resilience came love and loyalty. Erik wasn’t this one-dimensional villain who only sought to bring misery upon the human race… he was a man who cared for his family and would do anything to protect them. Hearing Erik’s statement assuage the fears of abandonment and replaced it with hope. One day, when he felt ready, Peter would bring his family over here so they could meet Erik’s family. Who knows… maybe one day they could all be one big, happy family. Realizing that he’s remained silent for far too long, Peter smiled at Erik before continuing their trip back to Erik’s place.  
“Well… I won’t forget about you too. Hell, maybe one day I’ll bring Wanda and Lorna over here so they can meet Nina and your wife! I bet they’d get a kick out of each other.”  
“I’m sure you’re correct, Pietro.”  
“Okay, real talk for a second. Where the hell did Pietro come from anyways? You called me that before you found out I spoke Romanian so that means you’ve had this name in your head for a while. So, spill the beans.”  
“Peter sounds informal and undignified. With Pietro, at least your name has some dignity and elegance to it. Plus, it means rock.”  
“You think I’m a rock?”  
“Symbolically yes. Rocks hold strength and wisdom. They remain stable under the toughest of pressure and become a reliable resource for construction. I didn’t even have to ask you any questions to know that you are a very powerful man who refuses to compromise your values. You’re reliable, wise… at times, and resilient. You embody everything a rock does.”  
Peter glanced at Erik for a few seconds before turning his eyes back to the road. “Pietro Django Maximoff… has a nice ring to it, I’ll give you that.”  
“Will you keep that name?”  
“We’ll see,” Peter replied with a smirk. “Thanks for everything, Erik. I really mean it.”  
“You’re my son, Pietro, and there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for you.”  
There was something very genuine and real in Erik's statement that made Peter's heart jump with joy. Knowing that his father, after all of these years apart, had his back made Peter feel happy and... loved. He masked his euphoria with a small smirk.  
“Well that’s good to know because you still owe me twenty-five presents and a piggy back ride.” Erik looked at Peter in confusion. “What? Aren’t dads suppose to do that kind of crap?”  
Before Erik could reply, the immense smell of smoke burned his lungs. He looked forward and noticed that smoke had clouded the road and trees. Peter also began to register the change in the air and scenery. As they got closer and closer to Erik’s place, the smell became much more intense. After a few more minutes, the car finally came to a halt in front of Erik’s small home… or rather what was left of it. The metal-bender and his son stared at the scene in front of them in horror and despair.

In front of them, Erik Lehnsherr’s home was consumed in flames that turned the grey sky red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lorna/Alex is actually cannon (in the comics at least :) ) I'm kinda excited to write some Lorna/Alex scenes because a) it'll give Alex some character development b) Lorna, now an adult, will actually have dialogues and c) I picture myself being in Lorna's place and dating Alex/Lucas Till *stares off into the distance* agh Lucas T- Sorry...
> 
> Who do you all imagine playing Lorna Dane IF she were to be included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?? I'm curious to hear your opinions :D
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of Love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments below :)
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Here's another chapter!!! 
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling Errors and possible OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

“No… no no no no no no no,” Erik muttered in disbelief.  
Peter sadly watched Erik’s whole world burn to the ground… again. The runner was thrown back into the conversation he and Erik had regarding Anya and Magda. The tragic coincidence in front of them, as well as its impact, was beyond words and actions. But before Peter made any moves to comfort his father, he suddenly remembered his phone call with Philip yesterday. He knelt onto the muddy ground beside Erik and placed a comforting yet shaky hand on his broad shoulder.  
“Erik, they’re alive,” he whispered.  
Unfortunately, because Erik was consumed in grief and anger, the metal-bender’s simply continued to chant Aleksandra and Nina’s name like a broken record. The vehicle they had been in seconds ago suddenly began to groan before it began to slowly curl up into a sphere. Peter could also feel the watch he was wearing morph into a physical representation of Dali’s melting clocks.  
“Erik, did you hear me?! Nina and Aleksandra are alive!”  
And then, ever so slowly, Erik’s red-rimmed eyes met Peter’s dark eyes. “W-What? They’re alive? H-How do you-”  
His sentence was suddenly cut off by a grunt of pain. The metal-bender slowly reached for the nape of his neck and pulled at the three small objects that had found their way into his flesh. When he revealed the items, they discovered that he had been hit with three darts made entirely out of plastic. Peter’s blood went cold: he’d seen these darts before back at the Weapon X facility.  
“Oh shit.” When he looked back up, he saw his father violently swaying on his knees. “Erik? Stay awake, okay? I’m gonna get you outta here.”  
“Run.”  
It was a simple command that was barely audible, but it still triggered a diverse range of emotions for Peter. “What? No fucking way! I’m not leaving you here when these assholes are hunting **me** down! We’re both getting out of here, okay?”  
“Pie-Pietro… can’t lose… ‘nyone… else. P-Please… run.”  
Before Peter could argue more, he found himself catching his now unconscious father. Peter struggled with Erik’s deadweight but eventually managed to maneuver his father’s limp form so that it was now slumped against the deformed car. He glanced around the forest before shaking Erik’s shoulders. Unfortunately, like he had predicted, Erik refused to come around.  
“Shit! Erik? Carrying you while you’re awake is one thing, but your deadweight? Don’t make me do all of the work again, man! Erik wake up!!”  
Knowing that his attempts were futile, Peter quickly he grabbed his goggles out of the car, hastily placed them over his eyes, and took off into the small forest behind the ruins of Erik’s home in order to plan an escape route. But within a mile from Erik’s home the sound of approaching vehicles could be heard. Peter tried to run in the opposite direction and was greeted by the same sound. He was surrounded. Realizing that he was out of options, Peter zipped back over to Erik and continued to shake his broad shoulders with much more determination and desperation.  
“You need to get up! I can’t go back there… not after everything they did to me there. Not when I’m on the road to seeing Wanda and Lorna! Not when we’re becoming a family again. Please Erik, I’m… I’m scared.”  
Eventually, he stopped his pleas and made a move to sit shoulder-to-shoulder beside his father, who was still out cold. Peter closed his eyes and began to prepare himself for what he knew he had to do. His instincts screamed themselves raw trying to persuade him to take off and not look back. But his heart ultimately won the inner conflict. He unconsciously leaned to his side and buried his face Erik’s bicep, hoping that his shirt would absorb some of the tears that began to burn his eyes. Once he gathered himself, he moved forward and kneeled down in front of Erik.  
“Okay, old man, here’s the game-plan: while you take a catnap, I’m going to draw them away from here. It won’t be so bad, right? After all, they turned me into a badass, indestructible weapon. They can’t get me. I won’t let them get me…” Peter projected a fake smile which quickly faltered. “Goodbye dad.”  
He reached out and squeezed his father’s shoulder before confirming to himself that he was ready to fight until the very end. He was ready to fight for both his life and Erik’s.

“They’re both near the fire!”  
As William Stryker continued to lead his squad through the thick forest, he couldn’t stop the smile that appeared on his face. His colleagues’ theories of what Peter’s achilles’ heel was turned out to be true: just like Erik Lehnsherr, Peter’s weakness was his family. Peter’s devotion for his family was going to be his downfall. They had finally reached the burning house and stood in front of the bent car. Stryker knew that Peter was hiding on the other side away from their view.  
“Give it up, kid!” Stryker called from his vehicle. “You’re surrounded! Now you can either surrender peacefully or make our jobs a lot more difficult. Either way we’re not leaving without our lab rat!” No response except crackling of the fire beside them. “Have it your way.”  
Stryker nodded to his squad, silently ordering them to approach the vehicle. Guns aimed high, the armed and masked men slowly walked towards the vehicle. However, much to their surprise, they were suddenly thrown dozens and dozens of yards away from the destroyed vehicle. While the guards went flying into trees, more men began to charge towards the silver line kept circling around the vehicle. Peter, who had just finished taking down around ten guards in less than four seconds, stopped and faced the approaching men. Smiling, he zipped over to them and began to circle around the small group over and over again until he created a cyclone of some sorts. It wasn’t big enough to suck up everyone and everything in its path, but it was powerful enough capture and trap anyone within a foot or two from it. The cyclone sucked up the guards and levitated them. The masked men felt their breaths being extracted from their lungs due to the vicious wind. Peter, satisfied with his cyclone, ran up towards other men and began to shoulder them into the cyclone. He watched with shameless amusement and pride as the men who beat him countless time get sucked into the tornado, spin around and around at a nauseating velocity, and end up dozens of yards away from him. He continued this strategy for a few more minutes, occasionally jumping back into the cyclone to refuel its strength and speed, before he stopped to lean against a tree to catch his breath. His break only lasted a few seconds because Peter’s eyes quickly spotted three guards approaching his still unconscious father. Cracking his neck, Peter used all of his force and pushed the men as far away as they could go. He then protectively stood in front of Erik. While his adrenaline and anger supplied the runner with some confidence, the fear within him still made itself known.  
“Peter Maximoff, it’s wonderful to see you! And using your gifts! The boys back at the lab will be thrilled to hear how all of their hard work paid off.”  
“Their hard work? That’s funny: the dumbasses you hired barely know their multiplication tables, let alone create serums made to enhance abilities. The only person who’s done actual work is Sinister. Speaking of him, I wonder what punishment he has in store for you when he finds out that his top ally let a test subject escape.”  
“Believe me, he’ll be more interested in punishing you than me.”  
“You sure about that? His serums and operation made me into the weapon he envisioned me as. If he finds out that I escaped using the gifts he created, I’m sure he’ll be more proud than pissed.” Peter studied Stryker’s face. “You’re afraid of him, aren’t you? If Sinister wasn’t running this whole operation, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t give two shits about my disappearance. After all it’s one less mouth to feed. But because Sinister’s got you on a tight leash, you torch a home down and slaughter anyone who gets in your way to retrieve his lost subject.”  
“Hate to break it to you kid but I didn’t set Erik’s home on fire.” Peter looked confused. “My patience is wearing thin. Come here now before your father becomes a casualty!” No response. “Have it your way, kid.”  
Peter snarled before charging directly at Stryker. But then, much to his surprise, Peter felt a pinch suddenly appear on thigh. And then, without any warning, his entire body went into a spazz attack. He crashed onto the ground and found himself staring up at what he assumed was another mutant. This mutant wore navy blue body armor with a red cape attached to the chest-plate. Both of his arms were made of adamantium armor and while one of his hands was metal as well, the other hand was replaced with a scythe. The man’s face was covered by a mask in the same color as the body armor. Peter tried to attack the mutant standing in above him, but his body simply wouldn’t obey any commands.  
“Did you really think we’d come unprepared?” Stryker asked as he approached Peter. “There’s a reason we created more than one weapon, kid. Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire in order to tame those who go rogue. I’d like you to meet Reaper, subject thirteen”  
“W-What d-did you d-d-do t-to me?”  
“I merely alternated you nervous system,” Reaper replied.  
“H-How did you-”  
“The scythe allows me to transfer my powers into the bodies of any living being. Do not worry. The effects you’re enduring are not permanent. But if you refuse to cooperate with Stryker then I can make it permanent.”  
Peter, now riddled with fear, looked at the damaged car where Erik was still slumped. Without thinking, he began to drag himself towards his father, not caring that most of his body felt like it weighed over five-hundred pounds. Stryker and Reaper tried to approach Peter, but the runner felt a wave of anger surge through him. He used all of his strength and kicked the pair back as hard as he could. Without looking to see what happened, Peter continued to crawl towards Erik.  
“E-Erik,” he gritted out, “I need your help. G-Get u-”  
His plea was cut off when he felt a metal hand lift him up by the throat. Before he could process anything, Peter felt himself being thrown into the windshield of the car. After his back and head painfully connected with the glass, the runner fell onto the ground only to be slammed against the metal frame of the car. He was then thrown onto the ground and flipped onto his back. When Peter tried to command his heavy limbs to back away, Reaper grabbed him by his shirt and began to viciously punch the runner’s face with his cyber arm. Being punched in general was already painful in itself… but being repeatedly punched with a cybernetic arm which was attached to a mutant with enhanced strength brought on a whole new level of pain. By the time Reaper finished his violent beating, Peter’s face was a bloody mess and his goggles were now ruined. Reaper smirked down at the test subject and threw him against the car. As soon as Peter landed on the ground, Reaper began to kick the runner with his apparently cybernetic feet. Even as he was getting the shit beaten out of him, it surprised Peter just how well an all cybernetic mutant functioned with zero trouble. Eventually, the other mutant grew weary of the sounds of grunts and yelps of pain, so he lifted Peter up by his neck and slammed him onto the hood of the car. The runner with a now damaged ribcage bonelessly slid off of the car and found himself lying down in front of Erik, who still was out cold. He could feel mud, blood, and tears slowly make their way down his face.  
“D-Dad,” his pain-laced voice whispered weakly.  
“Aren’t you a little old to be asking for your father?” Stryker asked as he took out metal handcuffs. “Reaper, I want to restrain our subject with as little trouble as possible. Do you mind-”  
“Of course, boss.”  
Peter felt the scythe nick his neck. Immediately after, his entire body from the neck down went completely numb. Peter was extremely horrified about the lack of feeling and control his body had. Normally in Weapon X they would have strapped him down but he would still have control over his body's struggles and movements. This time, for the first time actually, he couldn't even command his legs to move a centimeter. He was at the complete mercy of his captors. The feeling of numbness and helplessness made him feel vulnerable, filthy, and horrified. Peter watched through blood-stained bangs as metal cuffs were tightly placed on his ankles and wrists. Stryker looked down at his subject, who now had tears sliding down his cheek, and knelt down beside his head.  
“You don’t know what real fear is, Peter,” Stryker venomously whispered. “But once we’re back in the labs, I’ll make sure you never forget what it truly feels like.”  
Before Peter could scream for help, a cyber arm was tightly wrapped around his throat. Because he was paralyzed from the neck down, Peter couldn’t struggle or put up a fight. Eventually, his world began to swim in a mixtures of colors before ultimately sinking into a sea of blackness.

“Thank you for all of your help,” En Sabah Nur, in his human form, calmly said as he carefully placed Erik’s limp body into the backseat of the damaged car. “I trust that you got your end of our bargain?”  
“Yes we did, sir,” Stryker replied while watching Reaper drag a bloody and unconscious Peter towards the truck. “So what are you going to do with Erik?”  
“That is none of your concern. Now please be on your way.”  
As Stryker walked back towards his truck, En Sabah Nur smiled down at the bloody goggles in the palm of his hand. “It’s time for you to join us, Erik Lehnsherr.”

Charles and Raven were awkwardly sitting across from each other at the dinner table. While the blonde carelessly poked the now cold food placed in front of her, Charles simply went with staring at his sister. He still couldn’t believe that she had decided to come back to the mansion after ten years.  
“What are you staring at?”  
“Nothing! I was just… reminiscing. So what brings you here after all of these years?”  
“I need your help.”  
“Are you okay?”  
“I’m fine… but mutants in general aren’t. Charles, humans aren’t the only ones perishing in these attacks. Mutants have been either dropping like flies or have been vanishing in the blink of an eye. You can’t tell me that you’re not at least a little bit concerned about this.”  
“I have more important issues that require my attention at the moment. Like this school-”  
“Your school may not be standing much longer if you keep turning your back on what’s happening around you.”  
“You sound just like Erik.”  
A brief look of nostalgia appeared on her face. “So what if I am? Look, if you’re not going to help me then I’ll-”  
“No wait! I’m sorry if I offended you.”  
“Being called Erik isn’t exactly a compliment… but it’s not an insult either.” Charles rolled his eyes. “At least Erik tries to defend his own kind instead of choosing to remain oblivious to the world around him!” The telepath now looked hurt. “I’m here because I need your helping finding some mutants.”  
“Why do you need them?”  
“To give them a safe place to stay while the world continues to crumble. Not all mutants have the ability to escape their homes and go into hiding. They deserve a chance at survival and they won’t get that opportunity unless we help them.” She took out a folded piece of paper from her coat and tossed it to Charles. “I already have some names down. With Cerebro, I bet we can track them down with no problems.”  
Charles silently scanned the surprisingly small list of names. While he was quite familiar some mutants like Alex Summers and Lorna Dane, there were others that he wasn’t so sure about. Tracking them down could take days and days and he was already busy enough as it is. But then, at the very bottom of the list, two names were written that made his heart stop: Peter Maximoff and Erik Lehnsherr (a.k.a Magneto).  
“I was just talking to Erik before you arrived,” he said without looking away from the two names.  
“How was he?” Raven asked with more concern than she meant to reveal.  
“He’s… alright. He’s in Poland with his son.”  
“Son? Someone actually wanted to procreate with him?”  
“Yes and his son, you’re not going to believe this, is Peter Maximoff.”  
Raven let the fork in her hands fall from her fingers. “What? Those two are related?! How is that possible? When did Erik have the time to screw someone? Why didn’t he tell us about his long-lost son?”  
“Those are questions for him to answer. He may be an arse but he deserves to have his private life hidden and respected.” Charles sighed. “I’ll help you to the best of my ability, okay? Tomorrow we’ll grab Alex and Lorna and see if they can help you recruit some of these mutants.”  
“Thanks Charles,” Raven said while standing up. “I’m going to my room if that’s okay.”  
“That’s fine. Raven?” The blonde turned to look at her brother. “I’m glad you’re here.”  
For the first time since her departure ten years ago, Raven felt a genuine smile appear on her face. “I’m glad I’m here too.”

Death. That what Erik tasted when he groggily came to inside of a deformed car. After who knows how long, Erik gained enough strength to open his eyes and sit up. As he did so, nausea swam in his stomach and his vision went in and out of focus. It was only when he sat up that he realized just how loud his heart was beating. When his head felt like it wasn’t going to explode, Erik began to wearily examine his surroundings. As soon as his blue eyes landed on his destroyed home, which was now a pile of soggy wood and ash, the memories instantly appeared and the drowsiness instantly vanished. Everything, from the car ride all the way to staring down at three tranquilizing darts, flashed before his eyes.  
“Pietro,” he whispered in horror.  
He instantly threw the dented door open and stood on wobbly legs in order to find his son. His mind was so invested in finding Peter that he didn’t automatically register the rain that began to pour from the sky and soak him to the bone. Once his world stopped tilted and his legs regained balance and strength, Erik began to circle around the ruined home while yelling for his son.  
“Peter!!!” he yelled over the roaring rain. “Peter, where are you?! Peter?!” No response. “Peter, please answer me!!!”  
Erik must’ve circled the home at least a dozen times before his eyes caught a small item lying on the now muddy ground. He walked over to it and knelt down onto the wet ground to see what it was. His heart shattered into a million pieces. In his hands were Peter’s now bloody and destroyed goggles. While one lens had a hole right in the center of it, the other one was covered in blood. The rubber strap was cut in half and now dangling from the ends of Erik’s hand. Erik’s thumb began to stroke the bloody lens. On the verge of crying, Erik looked around one last time in a desperate and vain attempt to locate his son.  
“PIETRO?!?!” he screamed.  
It was so loud that it overpowered the rain and echoed throughout the dense forest. Realizing that his son had been taken from him, Erik bowed his head in defeat and clenched the ruined goggles in his palm. He didn’t know how long he’d been kneeling down but the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention.  
“He fought with all of his heart to keep you safe,” En Sabah Nur solemnly said. “You would’ve been very proud of him.”  
“You!” Erik growled. “Why didn’t you prevent him from being captured? You’re a self-proclaimed omnipotent mutant, right?! You had the power to intervene and yet you decided to sit back and watch!!”  
“Erik-”  
“MY SON IS GONE BECAUSE OF YOU!!! MY ENTIRE WORLD WAS DESTROYED BECAUSE OF YOU!!”  
“That’s not true,” Nur calmly replied. “I think you and I know who are the real conductors of all the devastation that lies before you.” Nur began to circle Erik. “As seen by Weapon X, humans have always held the desire to exploit or destroy the unknown out of fear and envy. Because humanity has always known just how inferior they are in comparison with mutants or super mutates, they seek to destroy them.” Erik’s eyes traveled from Peter’s goggles to the ruined home. “First your mother, father and sister… then Anya and Magda… and now Peter. In time, they’ll probably take Charles and Raven from you too. After all, the death of Erik’s loved ones is the death of Erik Lehnsherr himself.”  
The final statement made Erik’s vision go red. Looking back on his life, Erik’s suffering and grief were also spawned by human arrogance. Their fear and unacceptance of the unknown has become the backbone of mutant suffering. Everyone who has accepted him, mutant or human, were always taken away from him in order to solidify the “order” of the human race. Everyone he’s ever loved has somehow payed the price because of who he was as a species… not as an individual.   
“The powers you’ll receive, the justice you’ll serve, the mutants you’ll protect and liberate -- all of this will be yours if you join me and my men.”  
Erik watched as Storm, Psylocke, and now a mutant with adamantium wings slowly approach him, their yellow eyes holding almost zero emotions. He stared at them with hesitation but the weight of Peter’s bloody goggles slowly overpowered any compassion left for humanity. Humans have stripped him of his dignity, rights, and family his entire life. That was a routine he’s grown sick of. He was going to make them pay.  
“I’ll help you in exchange for one thing.”  
“Were all of my previous offerings not enough for you?”  
“If Peter’s still alive while I assist your mission, you will give me your word that you will not lay a single hand on him or his family. You will free my son from Weapon X and will reunite him with his family once our mission is complete.”  
“Erik-”  
“That’s all I ask.”  
Nur smirked down at Erik. “Your devotion for those you love is quite extraordinary. Within all of the pain and anger inside your soul lies a loving man who’s willing to do anything for those he cares for. I admire that contradictory soul of yours. All the more reason you’re so valuable to this group. You have all of our words, Erik. So… will you help me liberate the mutant race?”  
As the question left his mouth, a red-hooded man slowly approached Erik and wordlessly extended his hand towards the metal-bender’s.    
“Yes,” he said with determination and slight hesitation.  
As soon as he shook the hooded man’s hand, Erik felt a wave of power and adrenaline surge through his body. And while the feeling itself was quite spectacular, it was also extremely overwhelming. His body began to shut down without his consent. And then, after a few moments, Erik collapsed onto the muddy ground.

En Sabah Nur stared down at the unconscious mutant who was now finally a part of his group. After a few seconds of silence, he knelt down beside Erik and brushed aside wet bangs from his eyes. He then began to gently stroke the ginger hair while quietly coaxing his new ally back to the land of the living.  
“Your years of sleep has finally come to an end, my friend. Open your eyes. It is time for you to wake up now, War.”  
Shortly after, War snapped his now illuminating yellow eyes open. With Nur’s help, he stood up and scanned his surroundings.  
“How are you feeling, War?”  
“His mind is restless. I can feel the rage and determination inside Erik’s consciousness,” War said with slight surprise. “He’s much stronger than he appears.”  
“Exactly. With my help, the length and devastation his enhanced powers will wreak onto the Earth will be known by all who witness him.” En Sabah Nur then turned to the other horsemen. “Thank you for all of your help with my mission, gentlemen. I know that without your help, this job would have absorbed much more time than we can afford.”  
“Where is our first stop, Master?” Archangel asked.  
“Let’s pay a visit to Ireland, my friend. And please… from here on out, you will refer to me as Apocalypse.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Reaper possessed the ability to generate a neurosynaptic energy field, which could slows down physical movements of living beings to the point of paralysis or even disrupt their nervous systems. Reaper used specially designed scythes to channel his powers into the bodies of anyone cut by the blades. Reaper had two cybernetic hands and a cybernetic leg. None of these artificial limbs seemed to have any superhuman abilities." -Wiki.
> 
> I'll update this story (plus While You Were Gone) as soon as I can! 
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of Love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments below :)
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! If you don't celebrate that holiday, then I hope you all had a fantastic week :) Here's another update!!! It's going to feature four familiar characters ;)
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling Errors and possible OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

Alex Summers, elder brother of Scott Summers, sat beside Lorna Dane, younger sister of Peter and Wanda Maximoff, on the couch sitting in the center of the medium-sized living room. The female mutant was leaning against her partner’s side, her head carefully resting on top of his broad shoulders. As Alex’s slim fingers continued to unconsciously stroke Lorna’s captivating green hair, the other mutant stared off into space while levitating a metal lighter in front of both her and Alex. She smiled to herself when she managed to actually light the item, watching with amusement and slight pride as the small flame flickered.  
“Today a lighter, tomorrow a nuclear bomb,” Alex teased from beside her. “Don’t get too cocky.”  
“Speak for yourself. Remember the time you thought you could take down that acorn on the tree five miles away and ended up nearly burning down an entire forest?”  
“How was I supposed to know that gasoline was left over from an open fire? I’m not entirely at fault there. Plus I got the acorn!” Lorna rolled her eyes. “But I’m glad that I have someone like you to keep me grounded.”  
Smiling, the green-haired mutant stared up at Alex, who returned the warm gesture. After a few seconds of gazing, they both leaned forward and pressed their lips against each other’s.  
“We should celebrate our third anniversary out of the states,” Alex quietly mused. “Then again, going on a date anywhere outside of this neighborhood would be nice.”  
“What about those attacks? Are you sure it’s wise to go out into a world that’s suffering from destruction?”  
“Like I said, we can stay in the states and just spend a night or two out of town.”  
“I don’t know…”  
“Why is Lorna, the fearless girl I’ve known for nearly three years now, suddenly afraid of a simple trip out of the states?” Alex narrowed his eyes. “Is it because of your family?” Silence. “You do realize that you’re not bound to them, right?”  
“I know that.”  
“Then why do you base every decision on your family’s well-being? Why don’t you ever consider what you want instead of what they want?”  
“It’s because of my brother!” Alex, shocked by the sudden outburst, slowly moved away from the couch and sat on the coffee table placed in front. “My family still hasn’t recovered from his unresolved absence. If I left the states they’d probably have a field day. After Peter’s departure, they’ve hovered over me like a helicopter to keep me safe. They don’t want me to end up like Peter. They don’t want to lose anyone else.”  
After processing Lorna’s words, Alex covered her clasped hands with his own hands. “I’m sorry about your family’s loss. Nobody deserves to have their loved-ones taken away from them like that. Look… I understand where your mother and sister are coming from: I told you about my little brother Scotty, right? Like your family, I’m constantly worrying my ass off over my brother because, well, he’s my family and I’d be devastated if something happened to him on my watch. It’s natural for family to worry over one another. But Scotty is growing up. He’s going to school at my mentor’s place, chasing after women, and trying to prove himself to be a worthy leader. And while I couldn’t be more proud of him there are times when I’ve been tempted to check on him every hour. But that wouldn’t be fair for him. Like you, he deserves independence and the opportunity to think for himself. It’s hard to watch my little brother distance himself from me… but I know that in the end that it’s for his own good. Besides… I’ll always be there for him if he stumbles. Lorna, you’re probably one of the toughest girls I’ve ever met and that’s not because of your mutation. Your intelligence, resilience, and kind nature should be enough proof for your family that you’ll be okay.” Alex sighed before pressing his forehead against Lorna’s. “No matter what you choose in the end, I’ll be by your side.”  
“Really?”  
“Always. I’m not going anywhere without you.”  
Lorna smiled and kissed the back of Alex’s hand. As they began to kiss, Lorna grabbed the collar of Alex’s shirt and tugged him onto the couch. Alex then gently pushed Lorna onto her back so that he was leaning above the younger mutant. He continued to kiss Lorna as he began to unbutton his flannel shirt. The metal in the living room began to quietly hum. Lorna smiled and was about to take off her own shirt but then-  
_Ding Dong_  
“Damn it,” she muttered.  
“Shhh,” Alex whispered. “If we’re quiet, maybe they’ll leave.”  
_**Ding Dong Ding Dong Ding Dong**_  
“I think they know we’re here,” Lorna replied. “Don’t worry… we’ll pick up where we left off.”  
She kissed Alex one last time before playfully pushing Alex off of her in order to make her way towards the door. When she opened it, she was greeted by an unfamiliar blond-haired women, a tall man with thick glasses standing in an awkward posture, and-  
“Hey Wanda.”  
“Lorna? What are you doing here?”  
“Wanda,” the blonde began, “do you know who this is?”  
“Raven?” Alex called from the living room. “Is that you?”  
“I’m not Raven!” she yelled back.  
“Oh I’m sorry,” Alex sarcastically apologized while standing beside Lorna at the entrance. “Would you prefer Mystique? You know, the name you’ve gone by as you attack countless humans? The name you insist to glue onto yourself in order to fuel your self-antagonizing imagine you’re so keen on keeping?”  
“What the hell are you talking about?”  
“Lorna,” Wanda began again, “what are you doing here?”  
“She’s my girlfriend,” Alex said while pulled the green-haired mutant closer to him. “She just needed someone to talk to and-”  
“She goes to you rather than her own sister?”  
“Wanda,” Lorna sheepishly started, “you don’t understand!”  
Soon enough, two verbal fights broke out. While Alex and Raven were not-so-calmly discussing who was more of a traitor towards Charles, Wanda and Lorna are arguing about trust and family. Hank, who had been patiently and rather awkwardly standing to the side, eventually had enough.  
“ENOUGH!!”  
His yell silenced the entire group and echoed throughout the small neighborhood. When he had everyone’s attention, the nerd inside him turned back on like a switch.  
“I-I’m sorry,” he quietly said while looking down at the ground. “Wanda, Raven, and I came over here to talk to Alex about Charles and-”  
“Is the professor okay?” Alex asked.  
“Surprised you give a damn,” Raven muttered under her breath.  
“Says the one who abandoned her brother twice for her own self-pride.”  
“We’re not igniting another argument!! Alex and Lorna… we’re here because we need your help.”

Charles was sitting in his study reading a book on Darwinism. However, a knock on his door tore him away from the novel.  
“Come in.”From the crack of the door, Jean Grey’s fiery hair could be seen. “It’s alright, Miss Grey, I don’t bite. I’m surprised someone like you didn’t already know that.”  
Jean smiled before pushing the door completely open. “I’m sorry, Professor. I figured that you were busy and I didn’t want to interrupt you.”  
“No problem at all. I could use a break from Survival of the Fittest. So what can I help you with?”  
“I… I’ve umm… I’ve had these nightmares these past couple of days.”  
“Miss Grey, all species have encountered a nightmare or ten. I myself experience night terrors from time to time.”  
“What are they about? If you don’t mind me asking…”  
“They’re about an old friend of mine. Why are my nightmares suddenly-”  
“My nightmares are different. They’re more violent and… specific.” She approached Charles. “You see, for the past few days I’ve dreamed of destruction and death occurring all over the world.”  
“Darling, dreams are affected by what is witnessed during the day. Considering that new reporters have covered all of the death occurring nonstop, I wouldn’t be surprised if their coverage seeped into your dreams.”  
“But the thing is… my dreams usually come true.”  
That caught Charles’ attention. “Miss Grey, what are you talking about?”  
“I dreamed about the fall of England, Egypt, and Poland before they were broadcasted all over the news. I saw the faces of the deceased and the missing before anyone else.. I-I saw all of the landmarks crumbling before my eyes. I saw families being torn apart and-”  
“Darling, everything is-”  
“I saw Wanda’s brother being taken away from his father, the metal-bender.”  
That froze Charles’ world. “W-What?”  
“In Poland… I-I saw Peter Maximoff being dragged off into a van by a group of men. And Erik…he-”  
“What about him? Is he okay?” he asked in a worrisome tone.  
“My dream got a little fuzzy, but all I remember was that he wasn’t moving and that there was someone standing over him.”  
Charles was consumed with questions, worries, and grief. While his questions were aimed more towards Jean, his worry and grief were towards Erik. He couldn’t even begin to imagine the pain and distress Erik must be going through after having his own son stripped away from him. Actually, to be honest, Charles wasn’t even sure if Erik is still alive. Based on Jean’s brief and vague description, it sounded like Erik was either hurt or worse. After all, there was no way in hell Erik was going to let strangers abduct his son without a fight. It was in Erik’s nature. The thought of Erik being hurt and possibly waking up to find his son missing made the telepath sick and guilty. He looked back up to Jean and forced himself to smile.  
“It was just a dream, Miss Grey. They’re all just… dreams. Perhaps there are meanings relating to your prophetic dreams, but unfortunately we don’t really have the resources or time to uncover them. If your nightmares become more intense as the week goes by then do not hesitate to stop by my office.”  
Jean nodded with trying to compose herself. “Thank you, Professor.” A beat. “You’re worried about Erik.”  
“... Yes I am. I’m worried about him and Peter.”  
“Like you said, they’re just dreams. Right?”  
Charles, too distraught about Jean’s prophetic and most likely true nightmare, didn’t reply.

Charles and Scott were standing at the mansion’s driveway waiting for Hank and the other’s arrival. After a few patient minutes, a van pulled up in front of the mansion and out spilled Raven and Hank, as well as two guests.  
“Hey Professor,” Alex said with a warm smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”  
“It’s wonderful to see you too!” Charles exclaimed while wheeling himself over towards his former student. “How have you been since the draft?”  
“I’ve been… healing.”  
Charles gave Alex a sympathetic smile before pulling him into a hug. “If you need anyone to talk to, my door is always open.” Charles looked around Alex and saw a green-haired mutant staring up at the facility in amazement. “You must be Miss Dane.”  
Lorna snapped her gaze to the wheelchair-bound mutant. “Yeah. And I’m guessing you’re Professor Charles Xavier. I’ve heard amazing things about you from everyone in and out of the school. People say you’re the next Albert Einstein.”  
“Although I wish I statement were true, I do believe Hank is more deserving of that title more than I.” The genius couldn’t help but smile at the praise. “So what gifts do you possess?”  
“Electromagnetic manipulation.”  
Hank, Raven, and Charles were surprised at the statement. “I think it’s safe to say that the entire Maximoff family inherits some pretty remarkable powers. Tell me, have you been able to teach yourself how to fly?”  
“Not really? Would you be able to help me?”  
“Of course! After all I did train Raven, Hank, and Alex many years ago. With some guidance and patience, I’m sure we’ll be able to and control tap unimaginable potential and powers!”  
Meanwhile, Alex strided over to Scott and pulled him into a hug. “How’ve you been, little brother?”  
“Good. Jean and I are going out now so that’s a start. What about you? How’ve you been?”  
“Been good. I’m also seeing someone, and she’s fantastic.”  
“Really? Who?” Alex nodded back to Lorna, who was still talking to Charles. “Her?! Wow, she’s a beauty. Don’t you think she’s a little out of your league?”  
“Could ask you the same thing about Jean, Scotty.”  
The younger brother shrugged his shoulders before leading his brother back into the facility. Wanda, who was silently watching Lorna, took note at how much fascination Charles seemed to have over her little sister. She was far from jealous… but she had to wonder why a telepath was so interested in a twenty-one year old mutant who still hasn’t even fully developed her powers. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by a gentle telepathic nudge coming from Charles.  
“It’s so glad to have the Maximoff family together again.”  
“I would agree with you, if only my brother were here with us,” Wanda replied.  
“My apologies, Miss-”  
“I’m going to my room.”  
With that, Hank, Raven, and Wanda all entered the facility, leaving Charles and Lorna alone.  
“I’m sorry about that, Professor. She hasn’t really recovered from his abduction.”  
“Her reaction is completely understandable. I'm sorry about my poorly-timed and insensitive comment.”  
“You were only trying to welcome us. Thanks for your hospitality by the way. It really means a lot and-”  
“It’s no trouble at all. I always enjoy seeing new faces and new abilities. So, shall I give you a brief tour of the facility? Perhaps you’ll make some new friends along the way.”  
“Thank you, Professor.”  
“My home is your home.”  
Lorna, touched by the man’s kind-nature, smiled down. Things may finally go well for a change.

Major William Stryker was sitting in his office looking over the results of Peter’s recent testing. However, a frantic knock broke him out of his thoughts.  
“Enter.” In came a sweaty security guard panting like a dog. “Well what is it?”  
“There’s been another escape.”  
“What?! Do not tell me the runner managed to get loose again!”  
“No no no no, it’s not Peter that’s escaped.”  
“Then who?”  
“Do you remember Logan Howlett?”   
Before the major could respond, the alarm system finally kicked in.

“Thanks for your help, Gambit,” Logan quietly said as he was walking through the dense forest in Poland.  
“No problem at all, Woolfy. Glad to liberate ‘nother labrat. So where do we go now?”  
“I heard about a man in Westchester, New York who could possible help expose that hellhole and house those poor bastards being experimented on. Might as well find him and ask for some kind of help. Cause there’s no way in hell we can take out the facility by ourselves. What do you say?” Logan asked while lighting a stolen cigar.  
“Laissez la libération commencer!” A few seconds later, the Cajun spoke up. “By any chance, did you happen to find a silver-haired kid as you were escapin’?”  
“Yeah. Why?”  
“He still in the facility?”  
“If he wasn’t still in there, he’d be limping right beside us right now. He was being experimented on as I passed him. I wish I could’ve taken the poor kid with me but the room was armed to the teeth. His state would’ve slowed me down from reaching the meeting place. Why?”  
A genuine look of sadness and disappointment smacked itself onto Gambit’s face. “No reason… no reason at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The partnership between Remy/Logan is HUGE and will have an extremely vital role as the story progresses!! Also, Wanda and Lorna's relationship will (hopefully) expand chapter by chapter!
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of Love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments below :) Any feedback is welcome :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> I still have essays/finals to write but I managed to find time to write another chapter!! It may be shorter than normal but that's because I'm more invested in my finals than the story. Friday is the last day of finals and I can go back to writing this (as well as "While You Were Gone").
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling Errors and possible OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

War and Pestilence calmly walked down a quiet street in Washington DC. As they continued to their journey, they walked over corpses and rubble as if they were nothing of importance or concern. The dense dust that hung in the air, the thick smell of flesh, and the screams of terror in the far distance -- none of that mattered. After a few more seconds of walking, Apocalypse himself, who was now taller and bluer, emerged from a destroyed home.  
“The home was empty. The occupants must’ve known of our arrival beforehand,” the leader stated before Death flew above them and landed onto the ground. “Well, my son, what news do you bear?”  
“The White House is currently under lockdown,” the horseman said while folding his wings.  
“Excellent. Come now, my children, and let us expose the fear and weakness within a leader of humanity.”  
As Death and Pestilence, who now put back her katana, walked away from the gruesome scene, something inside War beckoned him towards the home Apocalypse emerged from. He slowly made his way into the damaged home.  
Looking around the house, War tilted his head when a sense of familiarity and nostalgia poked his senses. He didn’t understand where these thoughts were coming from. Wanting to push those feelings aside, War decided to make his way up the ruined staircase. Most of the rooms he entered were just guest rooms or bathrooms that held no significance or importance. Occasionally, pictures of three kids -- one with green hair, one with brown hair, and the final with familiar silver hair -- would pop up. The older woman in the photos also looked familiar to War, but he still couldn’t understand why. When he entered what looked like an old nursery, the horseman’s eyes scanned the room. The walls were white and empty, yet the ceiling was covered with plastic stars. An old blue crib was resting right in the center of the room. When he looked into the crib, a small, purple stuffed bunny sat peacefully in the center of the crib. The mutant picked it up and inspected it with curiosity and care. As he scanned the toy, he noticed that the tail of the creature was missing and that there was a small hole on the purple bunny’s limp ear. Although War couldn’t understand why, he knew that there was importance to this toy. There was importance, value, and nostalgia within the object. There was-

 _“Alright, little one, here you go.”_  
_He smiled down as the tiny figure in his arms impatiently snatched the stuffed bunny from him and wrapped it in a fierce hug, little coos of happiness escaping his mouth._  
_“My little lion, don’t you ever change.”_  
_The infant looked up at him and smiled._

“Is there something wrong, my child?”  
War snapped to the entrance of the nursery and found himself staring at his master. “Apologies. A voice beckoned me to this home and-”  
“It could be Erik’s consciousness. He is far more powerful than I gave him credit for.” The blue mutant approached War and gently raised the horseman’s chin. “Do not let Erik regain control. You are strong and I would not like my best horseman to succumb to sentiment. He will regain his freedom in time, but for now we cannot afford to be derailed by him. Understand?”  
War immediately nodded. Apocalypse smiled before motioning for his child to follow him. As soon as the leader left the nursery, War stared down at the stuffed animal in his hand. Before he exited the ruined home, War placed the toy in one of the pockets in his cloak.

Wanda couldn’t stop the smile of pride when she saw Lorna, with Charles’ encouraging words, levitating above the field. As she rose higher and higher, the fear in Lorna’s green eyes melted into excitement. When She made eye-contact with her older sister, she let out a smile of amazement and happiness. Wanda’s gaze moved from Lorna to Charles, whose eyes held a look of pride and nostalgia. Nostalgia? Before she could question that look, Alex suddenly appeared beside her and watched Lorna with fascination and love.  
“I knew she could do it,” he said more to himself than Wanda.  
“Of course you did,” she replied, unconvinced.  
Alex looked at Wanda. “Look… I know that you don’t approve of me going out with your sister. But I want you to know that I really do love her and that I’ll protect her from harm. After all, I’ve been doing that for the past two-to-three years.”  
“It’s not your job to protect her,” Wanda gritted out. “It’s mine.”  
“You do realize that she’s twenty-one, right? Look… as an older brother, I know where this fear is coming from. Scotty can go to great lengths in order to prove his loyalty, leadership, and love to others. He’s so determined to prove himself that he doesn’t really take into consideration his own well-being. Hell… just the thought of him dating a telekinetic telepath puts me on edge. But I trust him. I need to trust him for both his own well-being and my own.” Wanda turned to look at Alex. “He’s my brother and nothing will ever stop me from loving him. But I can’t hover over him all the time. I need to let him grow as a leader and learn to trust his decisions.”  
Wanda smiled sadly at the male mutant. “I’m sorry. I don’t hate you. I’m just… scared that I’ll lose my second sibling. I can’t go through that again. I just… can’t.”  
After a few seconds, Alex wrapped his arm around Wanda’s shoulder and pulled her into a side-hug. “It’s our job to worry over family. The cool thing about family is that we’ve always got each other’s back. They trust us, so we need to trust them. We protect them and they’ll protect us. We’ve had our time to grow into leaders and brothers… and now it’s our turn to let them grow.”  
Wanda patted Alex’s back. “Thanks. I… needed to hear this.” She smiled. “Here’s a tip: she loves music. You should get her some kind of record.”  
Alex nodded almost too excitedly. Before they realized it, Lorna carried herself over to the pair and smiled as she landed beside Alex.  
“That was amazing,” Wanda said. “I’m so proud of you.”  
“Thanks sis,” Lorna replied with a smile. “I didn’t think you’d make it.”  
“You’re my sister. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Now that you’ve learned how to levitate yourself, I hereby give you permission to drop Alex of the satellite dish if he ever acts like an ass towards you.”  
Alex smirked, understanding the reason behind Wanda’s light threat, before pulling Lorna into a kiss. They stared at each other for a few seconds before taking off  back towards the mansion. Wanda was so invested in watching her sister leave with Alex that she never saw Charles approach her.  
“Your sister is remarkable. The whole Maximoff family is remarkable.”  
Wanda turned to Charles and smiled. “Well two out of three of us were trained by some of the best mutants out there. All credit goes to you and-”  
“I’m flattered by your comment, but the growth of students mostly relies on the students themselves. They just need someone to push them in the right direction every once in awhile.”  
“I suppose… I have a question, Professor.”  
“Go on ahead.”  
“Are Lorna’s powers the reason you’re so drawn to her?”  
“Why would you think-”  
“Because her powers remind you of Erik?”  
That was like a slap across the face. “Ms. Maximoff, that is ludicrous! I enjoy your sister’s companionship for a multitude of reasons. Her abilities, as similar as they are to Erik’s, aren’t the main reason why I’m fascinated by your sister.”  
“Are you sure about that?” Wanda sat down on a stone bench beside Charles. “Why do you miss him so much? After everything he’s done, how can you find the heart to worry over him?”  
Charles sighed. “Our relationship is more complicated than anyone, even Hank, will know.”  
Before Wanda could ask more questions, Jean came running towards the pair. “Professor! You need to see this!!”  
“Are you okay?”  
“Just follow me!”  
Wanda and Charles glanced at each other before taking off towards Jean.

A large group of students, as well as Hank and Alex, were sitting or standing in front of the small television screen. As Wanda sat beside Lorna on the floor, Jean stood besides Alex and Scott while Charles moved towards Hank and Raven. As soon as his blue eyes hit the screen, Charles could feel his heart drop.  
“Oh my god… Erik.”  
Erik, whose eyes were now yellow, stood to the left of a blue and grey mutant. To the right of the large mutant was another mutant with metal wings and yellow eyes. Behind the pair stood a mutant with white hair and another with purple hair. Both of their eyes were also yellow. The blue man, who stood in front of a podium, smirked.  
_‘Professor,”_ Wanda silently began, _‘didn’t you say that Peter was with Erik in Poland?’_  
_‘That is correct.’_  
_‘So… where is he? Where is my brother?!’_  
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the blue mutant began, “I want you all to take a look at your President.”  
The girl with purple hair stepped away from the camera for a few seconds for reappearing with Ronald Reagan. She threw him onto the floor, took out her katana, and pressed it right to his throat.  
“This man,” the blue mutant continued, “was elected to be your leader and act as a symbol of resilience, courage, and wisdom. But what exactly has he done while the world continues to fall to ashes? What has your leader done to protect you from the destruction you see all around? Nothing. This man hid in The White House while others perished. The President chose to watch others fall while he remained in the comforts of his home. Your leader is a symbol of the weakness and cowardliness within his electors. All the leaders in the world symbolize the selfish and ignorant nature humanity carries. That nature has continued to spin the wheel of failure and destruction that has plagued our world for centuries. I’m here not to only address the toxic wheel you all seem to find comfort in… I’m here to break the wheel.”

Without a word, the purple-haired mutant sliced off the President’s head as if it were butter. While some mutants screamed, others could only stare in shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charles' conversation with Wanda will expand! Just wanted to mention that in case some of you thought that it ended abruptly.
> 
> What did you all think about the X-Men: Apocalypse trailer?!  
> I, personally, found myself cringing at some of the acting and excessive CGI. But nevertheless, I'm still excited to see Michael Fassbender, Evan Peters, and Oscar Isaac in the same movie!!! The casting seems on point (especially those three) and I'm excited to see how they play out the Apocalypse :D *Whispers* I kinda want to see Erik and Peter battle against each other in the film. That could be very emotional and spectacular (both in terms of visual effects and acting).
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of Love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments below :) I love reading them and they usually help improve my writing! Any feedback is welcome :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> Merry Christmas!!! Or, for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, Happy Holidays!!! Sorry about the lack of updates. It's been a very busy week and, to be honest, I began to struggle with writing. It's not that I lost interest, it's just that it was hard putting down what I had in mind on paper.  
> Anywho, here is another chapter :D It may be on the short side and I apologize for that. But don't worry, things are REALLY going to pick up in the next chapter or two :)
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling Errors and possible OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

After Reagan’s assassination, humans feared mutants. That was pretty obvious. But that fear didn’t result in hiding or self-pity… their fear of mutants fueled hatred and vengeance. Within a short time, protest rallies had begun to fill the streets. Threats from both officials and citizens were being made and soon spread throughout the world. Once again, their fear of the unknown created a barrier between the two species. Surprisingly, mutants shared similar viewpoints towards humans. However, hatred was replaced with pity, and vengeance was replaced with concern. The older mutants -- Charles, Hank, Raven, Alex, and Wanda -- were struggling with keeping the students calm and under the radar, all while still trying to encourage them to unleash their gifts and to not be ashamed of themselves. How can someone tell a young mutant that it’s okay to be themselves unless the world around them isn’t accepting of them? How can someone except themselves when it seems like no one else is willing to? Eventually, the five of them gathered for a small meeting inside Charles’ office.

“So what do we do?” Wanda asked as she leaned against the door. “These students are afraid of themselves and the world around them.”  
“That’s the world’s fault,” Raven replied. “Not the students’.”  
“Actually, I’d blame it on Erik and his little squad,” Alex added. “Speaking of the bastard, why would he team up with those kind of mutants? I mean, I know he’s a determined son of a bitch who enjoys getting crap done… but I didn’t think he’d be willing to work alongside others. In fact, I didn’t think he’d be willing to act as a sidekick. Seems to me like the blue and grey mutant is the boss of that whole operation. Why would Erik decide to play right-hand man instead of leader?”  
“I’m just as lost as you,” Charles said from his desk. “We cannot worry about Erik at the moment. There are dozens and dozens of students, some as young as five, in this building. We need to keep them educated and encourage them to use their abilities. Otherwise, what’s the point of this school? We can’t just put this school on hold and wait out whatever is happening out there.”  
“But maybe these kids want to be with their families during this time,” Hank shyly chimed in. “The world is beginning to crumble and I’m sure that some of these students want to see if their families are okay.”  
“I know I do,” Wanda quietly mumbled to herself.  
Alex, who heard the brunette’s nearly silently statement, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “These kids should have an option: either they can stay here or go back to their families.”  
Charles ran a hand through his fluffy brown hair and sighed. “Alright. Tomorrow, I’ll call an assembly and offer this proposal to any student. But I’ll need all of your help transporting students wanting to head back home.”  
All of the adults nodded before taking off in separate directions: while Alex went back to his room, Raven and Hank walked together to Hank’s laboratory where the Blackbird sat. Before Wanda could head out, Charles’ voice beckoned her to stay.  
“Wanda, do you have a minute?”  
  
The brunette nodded before sitting down on the chair in front of her mentor’s desk. “Is everything okay, Professor?”  
“Of course. I was just wondering how you were doing after seeing your fa-”  
“He’s not my father!”  
“Forgive me. I was wondering how you were doing after seeing Erik in that state.”  
“I’m not worried about Erik, Professor. I’m worried about my brother. Seeing how the world is going to hell, I can’t help but worry over him everyday. And now, seeing Erik on the screen without Peter… what if Erik hurt my brother? What if he traded Peter for power? What if Erik killed him for the sake of freedom and power?”  
“Wanda, Erik may be an arrogant and impulsive man, but I know for a fact that he would never hurt Peter for power! I told you earlier, Erik is a complex being covered in layers. On the outer surface stands an arrogant, self-righteous terrorist who’s only desire is to hurt those he believes are enemies towards our kind. But, deep down lies a scared man.”  
“What could a man like Erik be scared of?”  
“Plenty. He fears of losing his identity, his freedom, and his family. Since he reunited with Peter, the main fear that traveled through Erik was the fear of losing his own son.” That hit Wanda. “He’s lost a lot of people in his life, Wanda. People that he loved with all of his being. Everything that he does is for those he cares for. Yes, he cares about the mutant race, but I know for a fact that he cares about his family above everything else. He’s passionate, loyal, and loving… it’s just rare to see that side of him because he’s trained himself to withhold his emotions from the public eye.”  
“Why didn’t he stay and help you run the school? Why didn’t he stay with you when you got paralyzed? Why’d he abandon you like he did with Peter and myself?” Charles didn’t have a response for that. “I know that you like seeing the best in people and I respect that trait. However, there are some people you just can’t see any goodness in. If he really cared about those he loved, he never would have left you behind.”  
Charles sat in silence in order to process Wanda’s words. While he (somewhat) completely understood Erik’s reason of abandoning him on the beach, there was a little voice in his heart that agreed with Wanda. He thought of Erik as a brother and vise versa. If Erik is the man who cares about family over everything else, then why would he abandon him? He understood why he abandoned Peter and Wanda… yet his mind struggled to understand Erik’s reasons for abandoning him. Hell, he struggled to understand why Erik continued to hurt him following their separation on Cuba. Wanda broke him out of his thoughts.  
“A while back, you explained to me the importance of hope. You told me that hope carries people, inspires people, and guides people.” Wanda leaned back in her chair and began to muse aloud. “Hope: it’s a beautiful feeling… but it’s often the most destructive one. If someone gets their hopes up too high, the fall can be unbearably painful. Look at my mom: ever since Peter and I were little, Marya would always talk about ‘the man who could bend metal.’ She…” Wanda felt her eyes sting due to unshed tears. “She always told us that he would come back again and be our father. She hoped that, one day, Erik would return to us be a part of the family. It’s funny… Peter was always interested in Erik. Even when he was a little boy, he would always ask questions relating to who his father was and where he was. It was almost as if Peter and Erik had some kind of… connection. Up until DC, he had hoped that his father would come back to him and, you know, do whatever it is a father is suppose to do with his son. Even after Lorna was born, Peter hoped that all of us would be a family of mutants. I guess he just wanted to have an adult in his life who made him feel... normal. And safe. He wanted someone who would truly understand what it's like growing up as a mutant, and who would treat him as if he were human. But after the White House incident, it was a like a huge part of Marya died. She was afraid of him. After his stunt, she never told us anymore stories about him, which was fine for Lorna and myself. But Peter still wouldn’t let go of Erik. I’m not entirely sure why, but I have a feeling that my brother didn’t want to forget about Erik because he, like yourself, still had hope that Erik would drop the activist lifestyle and come back home.” She looked at Charles with a pained expression. “Can you imagine what it must’ve felt like for Peter to be taken away from his family because of a man he’d hoped would return? Can you imagine the betrayal and devastation?” Wanda hastily wiped a free tear. “My brother hoped that Erik would return and, in return, his whole life got ruined by Erik. Everyday, I hope that my brother is still out there, alive and well. But as the days go by, and as the destruction continues, I’m rewarded with nothing but fear. Professor, I know that you hope that Erik will see the errors of his ways and come flying back into this facility, ready to start over… but don’t get your hopes up too high. Almost every living being, and the hope they carry for themselves and others, is like glass: valuable and beautiful, but easily and possibly permanently broken if mishandled.”  
Charles, who was struck by Wanda’s honesty and wisdom, could only stare at the brunette. Maybe she was right: maybe the reason he continued to worry over Erik was simply because he didn’t want to let go of his dream that Erik would come back to the mansion and be his friend again. Charles, even with his powers, couldn’t change a man’s values. It was impossible. So why should he waste so much time and energy trying to change Erik’s already unshakable values? After a few moments of silent reflecting, Charles smiled at Wanda.  
"You’re a good student, Wanda. Your mind, both academic and philosophic, is extremely fascinating and valuable. I’m glad to have a student like you give me a new perception on life and people. Thank you.”  
Wanda nodded before making her exit, leaving Charles alone so he could continue his silently musing.

“So Roadrunner, you heard about your daddy?”  
Peter, who jolted back into consciousness a few minutes after another agonizing test, gingerly sat up from where he laid on his mattress. He rubbed his back, hissing when his fingertips touched any open wounds that had yet to heal. His muddy brain finally processed the question being asked from the cell next door.  
“What about him?” he asked as he slowly crawled closer to the man next door.  
“Heard he and four other mutants killed Reagan.”  
Peter’s heart sank the moment those words escaped Wade Wilson’s (motor) mouth. “What? What are you-”  
“Jesus Christ, kid, did you go deaf after Stryker’s experiment?” Wilson asked in an annoyed tone. “People all across the world saw your daddy’s posse behead the President of the United States. Boy oh boy, isn’t it great to live in a world where mutants can kill other world leaders without getting in trouble? God bless America!”  
“Erik killed Reagan?” Peter still couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  
“Yeah. His group also wiped out a lot of foreign places like France, Poland, and England. Ha, good for them! I never liked those tea-drinking assholes with their fancy accents and crumpets! Oh, they also wiped out a lot of states. Your daddy is giving your family quite the imagine, huh kid?”  
Peter, still too shocked by what Wade had revealed, found himself falling backwards onto the extremely thin mattress covered in dirt and blood. As he continued to block Wade’s comments, Peter stared at the faded ceiling. He had that Erik had decided to ditch his terrorist ways in order to raise his family. He believed that Erik valued family more than missions and political statements. He had hoped that Erik would be his father… The silver-haired mutant struggled with understanding why Erik suddenly decided to turn evil again. Seeing that empathetic and gentle side of Erik vanish (possibly forever) crushed Peter. What about Nina and Aleksandra? How are they reacting when they saw the man they loved kill a world leader. Hell, what if Erik had killed them?! As his mind continued to wander, he found himself worrying over his sisters, Wanda and Lorna. If Erik, in his current evil state, were to come to the mansion, who knows the kind of destruction he would unleash upon them, as well as the other students. But wait, Charles was running the school. During the time they spent together, Erik would always talk about Charles as if he were God, or some kind of influential figure. Despite his occasional pity for the telepath, the metal-bender would only shower his friend with praise and respect. It warmed Peter’s heart knowing that Erik had found someone who was on the same page as him. There was no way in hell that Erik would harm his best friend! He wouldn’t… he couldn’t!!

“Jesus Christ, Erik,” Peter whispered in despair. “What the hell have you done?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and gentlemen, Deadpool is FINALLY here :D His role, like a lot of others in Weapon X, will be important as the story continues.
> 
> I will update ASAP :D
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of Love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments below :) I love reading them and they usually help improve my writing! Any feedback is welcome :D
> 
> Happy Holidays!!!!
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)
> 
> P.S: What did y'all think of Star Wars: Episode VII?!?! Captain Phasma and Poe Dameron were my favorite characters and I hope to see more of them in Episode VIII. Plus, seeing Oscar Isaac FINALLY getting the attention he's deserved for quite some time really lifts up my heart <3 I'm so happy that people are recognizing his acting abilities, amazing talents, funny and insightful personality, and dashing good looks ;)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all :0)
> 
> FINALLY! Here is another chapter :D 
> 
> As I had written in an AN that's now been deleted, sorry about the lack of updates! Because of my hectic academic schedule (traveling between three colleges in one day is exhausting), I haven't had much time to write. I think I'll be able to publish a chapter at least every Saturday or Sunday, depending on how I'm feeling. I haven't forgotten this story :) I have the ENTIRE plot laid out, as well as each chapter, and now all I have to do is actually type them out. I want to be finished with this before X-Men: Apocalypse is released!! I'm afraid that if I don't publish them before the film, then people will assume that I stole the material from the film. To be honest, while that wouldn't be a completely bad thing, I want my story to be more original and truer to the comics/films :)
> 
> Warning: Grammatical/Spelling Errors and possible OOC-ness!!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!!

“In order to break the wheel of oppression mutant-kind has endured generation after generation, we must first erase the past. We must erase any trace of our oppressors and so-called “rulers” in order to be truly free.”

Apocalypse, who had now grown an extra foot, stood in front of his horsemen right in front of the former Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz. The images of men, women, and children who perished in the camps flashed before War’s eyes. The echoes of screams, cries, and gunfire flowed through his ears. The ghosts of Erik’s mother, father, and sister stood in front of him. Apocalypse could sense War’s newly obtained sights and sounds, and approached his subject.  
“What is the matter, my child?”  
“I can feel it all. His memories… his pain… his rage…”  
Apocalypse smiled at War while resting a gentle hand on the possessed mutant’s armored shoulder. “That’s exactly what we need. The memories, and the emotional trauma that follow, will fuel Erik’s gifts.” Apocalypse gently cupped War’s neck and leaned closer to the mutant. “Mr. Lehnsherr, both War and I can sense what your time at this prison has done to you. It is here that you lost everything -- your dignity, your freedom, your identity, and, most importantly, your family. It is here where you, Max Eisenhardt, became Magneto.” War tapped into Erik’s abilities and could feel power begin to surge throughout his body. “Focus on those memories,” Apocalypse gently persuaded. “Focus on all of the men in those camps who stripped you of everything and everyone you held dear to you. Think about Sebastian Shaw, the man who exploited you through the means of torture. The man who killed your mother in cold blood.”  
Without any warning, War shoved Apocalypse aside and extended both of his palms towards the abandoned facility. In less than ten seconds, the main entrance, as well as the barbed wired fences, were lifted from the ground. Untouched dust that had rested on faded wood and tiles calmly floated down to the grassy field below. The sound of metal groaning overpowered the quiet chirps of birds. Death, Pestilence, and Famine backed a few feet away from the furious mutant and his leader. Apocalypse tore his gaze from the facility and looked at War, who had a few tears streaming down his face.  
The First One tenderly brushed said tears aside before quietly whispering, “Think about your son, Erik. The pain and suffering he’s currently forced to endure by the hands of men similar to Sebastian Shaw. Your son is just one out of many who have been humiliated, persecuted, and assassinated out of pure fear, selfishness, and ignorance. Like yourself, Pietro Django Maximoff, or Eisenhardt if you prefer, is another mutant who’s forced to suffer not because of who he is… but because of what he is.”  
With a monstrous growl, War swiped his hands apart and watched the facility, and the Earth beneath it, split in half. Plates of earth that had patiently remained still for decades and decades, tore away from each other as if they were made of paper. Earth and rubble from the ruined facility disappeared into the bottomless line in front of the group. It held similar resemblance to the parting of the Red Sea. When the dust settled, War slowly turned to his master while attempting to even his breaths.  
“Well, my son, what did you think of the gifts I have bestowed upon you?”  
Unsure of the proper response, War slowly walked towards buildings within the camp that hadn’t been destroyed. The horseman was so invested in testing his abilities again that he hadn’t realized that he was walking in the linear hole he’d created during his first power surge. Once he was close enough, War raised a single hand and watched as more building rose from their places. Then, with one clench of the hand, the remains of Auschwitz, and the memories they bared, disintegrated into dust. What was once a hellhole for some, was now nothing but an open field covered in rubble, barbed wire, and earth. Apocalypse, who had been watching in silence, approached his henchman and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.  
War looked down at his hands, shock and disbelief in his eyes. “I’ve never felt more power in my entire existence. All of this is your doing?”  
“It is a combination of my own doings, as well as Erik’s own abilities. Like Storm and Psylocke, Erik has barely uncovered the full extent of his abilities. His moments of vulnerability and rage have often given himself, as well as others, glimpses of the damage he’s capable of carrying out. And here,” Apocalypse continued while motioning towards the remainders of the camp, “is where all of the pain began.” The oldest mutant moved closer to War. “Can you feel it? That unwavering desire for destruction and closure?” After a few silent moments, War nodded. “That, my child, is what we need to carry out our plans. As long as we continue to remind Erik of all of the pain he and those he cares for have endured, we will be able to live in the proper world.”  
Before War could respond, Death came flying into the view and landed gracefully in front of them. Pestilence and Famine approached the final horseman.  
“Well, my child, what news do you bear?”  
“There is a mansion located in Westchester, New York.”  
“Why is that significant?” Pestilence asked in an annoyed tone.  
“Because it’s harboring dozens and dozens of mutants.”  
The group froze at Death’s words. There was an entire facility filled with mutants like themselves with abilities far beyond anyone’s imagination. While Apocalypse, Famine, and Pestilence smiled at the news, War’s reaction was a little different. A small voice inside his head kept urging him to forget about the facility and find another location. The voice nearly pleaded for the horseman not to got to the facility. Erik was now fighting him… and was winning.  
“We have not a moment to lose,” Apocalypse calmly exclaimed. “Come, we shall be there before dawn.” He looked at War and could see the resistance in his eyes. “Remember our mission, my child. We will be able to reach our world quicker with an army compiled of mutants with a wide variety of powers.”  
“Promise me that there will not be any casualties.”  
All of the remaining horseman, as well as Apocalypse himself, stood in shock (and pity) at their member. This moment of sentiment was new and unexpected.  
“What’s the matter?” Famine taunted. “Are the feelings and errors of Erik’s ways controlling you? Are you letting sentiments blind you?”  
“NO,” War immediately shouted back. “It’s just… nevermind.”  
After a few hesitant moments, the horsemen all took off, leaving War and Apocalypse alone. The blue mutant eyed the horseman in suspicion and interest. Not only would he now have to keep an eye on War, but he also found another way to exploit Erik and his abilities. He placed a hand on War’s armored shoulder and gently pulled him towards the rest of the group, who was waiting rather impatiently.  
“I promise you that no harm will come to anyone,” Apocalypse said.  
The tension in War’s body instantly lessened. With a half-hearted smile, Apocalypse followed War towards their destination. None of the horsemen truly understood just how important a new world meant to Apocalypse, nor would they realize just how far he’d go to reach his goal… even if it meant lying to his own children.

Charles was sitting at his desk, his baby blue eyes staring at his desk. For the past few days, Wanda’s words have continued to linger in his mind. With each passing day, he began to question to true quality of Erik’s friendship, as well as his own characteristics. And while optimism and warmth continued to guide his interactions with others, there was now also pinches of uncertainty and hesitation. He cared for (almost) every single student in the facility, yet he didn’t dare to get too close with them. What if they left him? What if, after fully presenting himself to his students, they suddenly turned against him? They’d leave him with nothing but disappointment and grief, all while retaining his most private moments. Hank, Alex, and Raven were obviously students he trusts with all of his heart. Wanda and Lorna were also two students he let down his mental barriers for. He had no idea why, but even after only known the two girls for a few weeks, he felt connected to them. Their empathetic and curious nature easily contributed to his level of trust. Plus… it did help that one of them was related to Erik while the other shared quite similar abilities as his. Trust in general was so simple beforehand. But ever since Erik left him in Cuba, Charles struggled to fully connect with others. That feeling of being left alone was one he’s experienced and has since continued to fear. Suddenly, the light on his desk began to flicker. He looked outside and could see the hallway lights also flicker. The telepath was then hit by an enormous amount of distress and panic coming from Jean’s room. Without a second thought, he wheeled himself towards her room.  
As he got closer and closer, Jean’s mind became more agitated. Charles could sense the confusion and anguish in his student’s mind. Some lights bursted, leaving sparks and darkness in their trail. When he finally made it to Jean’s room, he stared in shock as multiple objects in her room levitated. Tables, chairs, writing utensils, books -- all of these items were now hovering feet above the ground.  
‘ _Jean,’_ Charles projected, ‘ _everything is alright. Calm your mind.'_  
Taking a deep breath, he slowly maneuvered his way around broken furniture and hovering items until he was at her bedside. At a closer look, the professor could see sweat covering Jean’s face, sticking her fiery hair to her forehead. She was mumbling words of distress and occasionally tossed around on her bed. Her eyes were clenched shut. Despite the worry that was now creeping through him, Charles continued to calming persuade Jean awake.  
‘ _It's me, Charles Xavier. I'm your friend, Ms. Grey. Calm your mind. Everything is okay.'_  
And then, just like that, Jean jolted awake and screamed. All of the items that were hovering suddenly disintegrated into nothingness. The lights that were once flickering wildly sudden burst, wrapping Charles and Jean in darkness. As Jean was calming down, the older telepath swore he could see her bright yellow lingering in her eyes.  
“Pr-Professor?”  
“Yes, Ms. Grey, I’m right here,” he warmly said while tenderly brushing back her sweaty hair from her forehead.  
“I-I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t… I-I couldn’t stop-”  
“Shhh. It’s alright.”  
“My nightmares… you remember those, right? I saw the end of the world.” Charles tilted his head. “I could feel all of this death. There was so much blood… and fire.”  
“Jean,” Charles gently cut off, “it was just a dream. Nothing more.”  
“They were here, Professor.”  
“Who?”  
“The mutants who killed Reagan. They were here in this school. I saw them take you! I saw them hurt Lorna! I-I saw myself turning yellow and-”  
Charles felt his mouth go dry, but he continued to calm his student down. “Everything will be fine, Jean. I promise. Now go back to sleep, okay?”  
Jean looked extremely hesitant. “What if I have another nightmare?”  
Charles smiled. “Do you want me to help you with that?”  
With a nod, Jean laid back down onto the mattress and watched as Charles placed a comforting hand onto her forehead. “Sleep, Ms. Grey, and let your mind touch the happiest memories you can find. Dream of those you love. Dream of the places you feel most at peace with.”  
With that, Jean’s eyes slid shut and Charles could instantly feel the shift inside her mind. There was little to no panic or distress in her mind. There was now serenity.  
“Sleep well, Jean.”  
Charles wheeled himself out of Jean’s room with a smile on his face.

**Bum bum bum bum, buummm, ba da da baaaaaa ba. Ba da da baaaaaa ba, Ba da da buummmm.**

The ending theme for _Star Wars: Return of the Jedi_ blasted through the cinema’s main lobby and echoed throughout the entire facility of the mall. Exiting the crowded theatre was Jean Grey, along with Scott Summers and a girl who called herself Jubilee. Two days after her vicious nightmare, Jean decided that she needed to distract her mind from her visions, so she accompanied her friends to the movie. It felt nice being able to forget troubles, even though the distraction was temporary. Big smiles plastered their faces as their minds struggled to process just how amazing the conclusion to the Star Wars trilogy was.  
“That was amazing!” Jean said while walking behind Scott. “That moment when Darth Vadar-”  
“Shhh, not everyone has seen the movie yet, Jean,” Jubilee said. “Once Wanda comes back with the car, then we can talk about it.”  
The trio was about to make their way towards the food court, when they noticed a small group of boys surrounding what appeared to be another boy. Taunts and threats could be heard.  
“What’s going on over there?”  
“I don’t know,” Scott said, “but whatever it is, I’m not liking it.”  
When the got closer to the scene, Scott felt anger surge through his body. These boys weren’t bullying just another random kid; they were bullying a mutant.  
  
The mutant was unlike any other Scott had seen before. Underneath the red and white athletic jacket were royal blue scales and markings that completely covered the boy’s body. He had raven hair that only darkened his blue body. The boy had the piercing yellow eyes, sharp nails, and jagged teeth of a cat. However, the blue stranger also had the tail of the devil. It was long, royal blue, and had an arrow-like point at the very tip. What caught Scott’s attention the most was just how much fear and confusion laid within the stranger’s eyes. Despite his dangerous appearance, the blue mutant looked just as scared as any human being.  
“What’s the matter, freak?” the first bully taunted.  
“Pl-Please, leave me alone.” There was a thick German accent behind his pleas. “I-I just saw the film and I-”  
Right when the second bully viciously yanked the blue mutant’s long tail, Scott strode over to the human and forcefully push him aside. Jean and Jubilee stood in the background, watching the confrontation take place.  
“Knock it off, dude!” Scott exclaimed.  
The bully stared at brunett for a second before walking over to him until they were chest to chest. Pride and anger surged through both party members.  
“What are you doing poking through other people’s business?”  
“Could ask you the exact same thing.” Scott turned to the blue mutant. “Are you okay?”  
When the blue mutant sheepishly nodded, a third bully whacked him right in the back of the head, prompting Scott to move away from the second bully and stand in front of the third bully. As he did so, Scott unconsciously pushed the blue mutant behind him.  
“You had your fun, now get out of here and leave this man alone.”  
“Or what?” The third bully dared. “What could you possibly do about it, four-eyes?”  
When the third bully flicked Scott’s visors, the brunette immediately slapped the man’s hand away and readjusted his glasses -- the single item standing between him, and waves of fatal kinetic energy.  
“Don’t do that,” he growled.  
“What, the nerd can’t see if he doesn’t have his glasses on?” the first bully chimed in while shouldering the blue mutant aside.  
Jean, who now noticed that Scott was surrounded, chimed in. “Scott, come on. We have to-”  
“Shut up, bitch!” the second bully yelled.  
There was so much anger surging through Jean at the moment, that she didn’t even realize that her eyes were turning yellow. However, Scott’s affirmative voice brought her back to the present.  
“Don’t you **ever** talk to her like that again!!”  
By now, Scott was completely surrounded by the three men. Jubilee took the initiative to carefully guide the blue stranger away from the crowd and back towards her and Jean. The younger Summers brother looked around him, hoping that none of these boys would decide to rip off his-  
“Have you ever played keep away?”  
“Isn’t that game for five year olds? Then again, you three aren’t that different from five year olds, so-”  
“You should really learn to keep your mouth shut,” the first bully growled from behind Scott.  
“And you all should really learn common decency. Making fun of a man because of what he looks like? Treating women like that? I swear, you three are the epitome of dumb, arrogant homo-sapiens.”  
“Get his glasses,” the third ordered to the second.  
“I wouldn’t do that,” Scott replied while attempting to back out of the circle. “You wouldn’t like what will happen next.”  
“What’s going to happen?”  
“Nothing good. Trust me on that.”  
The three men ignored Scott’s warning and proceeded to grab Scott’s visors. There wasn’t enough time for Jean or Jubilee to intervene, so they had to watch in horror as red catapulted from Scott’s eyes and into the ceiling of the mall. While the bullies just narrowly missed what would’ve been their grisly death, other mall occupants screamed and ran in all sorts of directions in order to escape the kinetic energy. The pain and humiliation didn’t calm Scott down, so when he tried to put his visors back on, he only made the situation worse. Soon, shops and floors were torn by the powerful element. Some items such as benches and fake foliage were lit aflame. Unable to regain control of his sense, Scott could only yell in pain as his powers continued to ruin everything in it’s way. The blue mutant, who was standing next to Jubilee, suddenly appeared next to Jean.  
“What is going on?” he yelled.  
“He has abilities like you, but he can only control them when his visors are on!”  
“His visors? What is a vi-”  
“His glasses!!!”  
The blue mutant managed to get a glimpse of the red glasses before disappearing in a blue cloud of smoke. “Did you see that?!” Jubilee cried.   
A few seconds later, the mutant reappeared beside the pair and held what looked like Scott’s glasses. “That’s it!”   
The stranger disappeared and reappeared behind Scott and gently placed the visors over the his eyes. And then, just like that, all of the chaos was silenced. The destruction carried out by a single mutant was surprising and even horrifying. However, even though Scott now had his glasses on, he was still kneeling on the ground, struggling to breath.  
“What the hell are you?!” one of the bullies cried. “You’re a freak! Just like him,” he continued while pointing at the blue mutant.  
Jean silenced all three of them by not only knocking them out with her telepathy, but also by wiping their memories completely. The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.  
“We must leave,” the stranger said while placing one gentle hand on Scott’s shoulder and extending the other towards Jubilee. “Come now! Link your hands with mine.”  
After a few seconds of hesitation, the girls moved towards Scott and the stranger, and placed their hands onto the mutant’s shoulders.  
Within a second, they were enwrapped in a puff of blue smoke.

The group suddenly plopped onto the ground of an alleyway just a few blocks away from the mall. While the girls were still trying to shake the shock away from their system, the blue mutant walked to the end of the alleyway and saw smoke gently flowing from the destroyed facility and disappearing into the blue sky. Meanwhile, Jean knelt down in front of Scott, who was sitting on the damp cement with his head in his hands, and placed a gentle hand on top of his own.  
‘ _Everything is okay, Scotty. Thank you for sticking up for me and that other kid. You're a good man. Shhh. You're okay now. Take deep breaths. In and out. In and out. Breathe.'_  
Scott, who was on the verge of blacking out due to the lack of oxygen, carefully listened to his partner’s words and followed her gentle instructions. Occasionally, his mind would flash back to the moment when he lost control, but, thankfully, Jean was able to catch his bad memories and wrap them in a warm net so to speak. Eventually, after a minute or two of nothing but gasps and sirens, the blue stranger finally spoke up.  
“Thank you for defending me,” he said with the utmost sincerity. “Nobody has ever stuck up to me.”  
“Hey,” Scott said while slowly getting back onto his feet, “mutant or not, nobody deserves to be picked on like that.” He extended his hand. “My name is Scott Summers.”  
The stranger looked at the hand for a second before accepting the warm gesture. “My name is Nightcrawler.”  
“Nightcrawler,” Jubilee asked. “Is that really what your mother and father named you?”  
“I’ve never met them. And if I have, I don’t remember what they look like. Nightcrawler is my stage name. I’m a performer at a circus in Germany. I just wanted to see Star Wars before anyone else.”  
“So what’s your real name?” Jean gently asked.  
“Kurt Wagner.”  
“Well Kurt, my name is Jean Grey, and that is Jubilee. Thank you for helping Scott find his visors. Without you, I’m not sure what would’ve happened.”  
“Thanks, Jean,” Scott flatly replied. “Are you heading back to Germany any time soon?”  
“Unfortunately, yes. My boss let me have the day off, and I decided to see the film. I leave tomorrow morning.”  
“Do you have a place to sleep?”  
“Not really.”  
“You should come back to the mansion with us!”  
“You live in a mansion?! It must be so big!!”  
“Believe me, it is. You should come back with us, have a nice dinner, and meet kids who are like us.”  
“Wait.. there are more kids like us?”  
Jean smiled at Kurt’s fascination. She loved his innocence and purity.  
“Of course there are,” she said.  
“I thought I was alone…”  
Jean smiled at the mutant. “The world consists of over four billion beings. Sooner or later, we’re bound to come across some people like ourselves. So, do you want to come home with us? Just for the night?”  
Kurt looked extremely tempted to join the group. Everyone there could see in his eyes the desperation and enthusiasm. However, the circus was his true home. Sure he didn’t like his boss, but there were people who operated the performances that he grew up alongside with. In fact, there were one or two people who shared similar abilities as mutants, yet did not possess the x-gene. If he were to accompany this group to a safer, more accepting home, he’d want to bring along his friends back in Germany.  
“I’m sorry, but I have friends back in Germany that I’d want to be with me. Your place sounds like paradise -- like the Garden of Eden. I want my friends to experience paradise alongside me. They’re like us and they too deserve a chance.”  
The original trio was touched by Kurt’s selfless nature. A lightbulb went off in Kurt’s mind and he reached into his coat pocket in order to hand the trio a small pamphlet.  
“If you ever need me, you’ll know where to find me.”  
“Thank you, Kurt,” Scott said. “It was a pleasure meeting you. You’re a good man, and don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.”  
Jean and Jubilee smiled at their new friend. Kurt sheepishly smiled back before waving goodbye and disappearing in the void of blue smoke. Now alone in the alleyway, the trio carefully moved as far away from the destruction as possible.

After a few minutes of walking down a quiet street, all while finally revealing their thoughts about the film, as well as their new friend, they came across a pay-phone. Jubilee reached into her coat pocket and was about to call the mansion for a ride back, however, the sound of a car screeching to a halt in front of them caught all of their attention.  
Wanda, who was now pale as snow, leaped out of the driver’s seat. It was only then that the younger students could see blood coating both of her hands. Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying, and she was shaking uncontrollably.  
“Wanda, what’s the matter?” Scott asked.  
“The mansion’s been attacked… and Charles is gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The main plot will FINALLY be moving forward :D Also, we finally got to see Nightcrawler! Don't worry, he'll come back soon ;) As will some other important guests. There might some errors, but I'll check on them tomorrow. Right now, I need to finish a paper!
> 
> Questions/Comments/Concerns/Insults/Thoughts of Love?? Please feel free to write 'em down in the comments below :) I love reading them and they usually help improve my writing! Any feedback is welcome :D
> 
> Take Care and Party Hard :0)


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